New-York tribune., 1896-01-13
THE NAVAL GUN.
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS WITH THE BROWNING
AUTOMATIC RAPID-FIRE Gun.

AUTOMATIC RAPlD-FlRE El Y
Washington Jan. u (SpecaD.-L.eutenani " E.
Mason Superintendent OF the Indian Head Prov
Ing Grounds. has furnished the Bureau OF ordnance
with report on the rewly adopted automatic
rapii fire gun the Browning. which has been ac-
ceptei By the authorities for use In the naval
service The little weapon Is said to De a mar'ei
OF strength. precision and quick work IL Is oI
American design and manufacture and has beaten
all foreign competitors in service condition trials.
As appears from the report Of Lieutenant Mason
all the guns which competed for selection Were SUP
jected to unusually severe tests lle ~ prominS r,s
gun best met the requirements. IL was htrd PIesssi
by other competitors however, particularly the
Hotchkss Maxim ard Eccles. ,,,.,...
Lieutenant Mason's report gives the following
summary OF some OF the experiments made WIN WIN
the browning invention; one hulir.d r9uH's mrSl a.
nrsr P iour seconds forty rounds in seven
onts e,sbtv rounds in fourteen seconds and lo
rounds IN seconds ns gun wopSsq
operating smoothly and with precision; except
twice when there were briet stops IN the hfns'
fomr seconds. and iO) rounds in one minute and
forty-nine seconds In the latter test there were
few interruptions. but none OF such consequence as
materially to decrease the rain OF lead In each
case OF a checkase II was only necessary 10 pun
matte action Experiments were then made with
dummy cartridges mixed with service shells. with
IRENE depression and with the barrel changing
continually in train and elevation. WIN oni
speedily With the barrel revolving. 200 rounds
were fired In forty-seven seconds
The concluding experiments were conducted 10
test the endurance Of the gun and 10 determine
how many shots could be fired In eight seconds
Again defective ammunition prevented the develop
ment OF the best results. Still l6S cartridges were
exploded. being misnre TWO ranges We're
fired over. 800 and 1909 yards respectively. The
firing was not as accurate as could be desired, but
pressure OF the powder gas. causing the bullets 10
strip and tumble The temperature developed III
the gun high but no serious accidents oc-
CURED. sv
A complete description OF the gun has already
been printed In these dispatches.
no BOUNDARY DISPUTE IN CENTRAL. AMER
ICA.
Washington Jan. 1.-THE alleged cable dspat'n
from Managua. Nicaragua, recently publlshea' 20
the effect that President Barrios. OF Guatemala
would arbi,rate the boundary dispute between
Nicaragua and Costa Rlca. Is ascertaned 10 os
wide Of the truth There Is no question pendins oe-
tween the two countries as to extent or territory.
Such controversy did 81 one time exist but ~ Nas
ijent Harrison arbitrator several years ago anu
II would be considered in Central America IN ~
suit 10 the Government of the United states 10 AZ
tempt to reopen u. .
The true boundary line determined by the award
has, however. never been practically nlarNeu py
adopted by adjoining countries though COSTA hica
has maintained Commission In tee neiu 'or .r vv.r
II year. making careful survey or the iie' NV,
withs.aEdng that Nicaragua Is SPECIFIC any ~ ooumu
by treaty to form similar commission 10 ro,otSs tS
ate with that OF Costa Rca she has never met ms
requirement. and In this respect a'ohe can any
boundary line controversy be sad 10 exist To-Day
among central American repubics