New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-23

When A Springfield rife is fired at a nan Loo yards
away the bullet has 10 rise in the air over forty
three feet above the line Of sight otherwise it will
fail short of the mark. and II there should De a
projecting branch Of tree. just forty-three ieet
over the straight line OF sight, and about midway
between the soldier and his foe. the branch would
rcrciye the bullet and the foe escape. Both IN the
Army and OH; in the woods while hunting, 1t Is de-
sirahle TO know how high a bullet VIII rise when
one fires at a mark 300. 800. 1000 or any other num-
Der OF yards away II was for the purpose OF sup
plying the United States Army with the facilities foT
ascera!ning trljectories that. by command Of Sec
rotary Lamont. L!eutenant-Coonel Far.cy ere
atei AT Frankiord Arsenal one Of the latest adli-
tons TO rs scientific equipment private inquiry
addressed to Secretary Lamont by resident or
New-York city who wished to ascertain the TRACE
tory Of a Remington snG,e-shot rifle 4)-6j-35o,
awok. the Secretary TO the fact that the Army
should have facilities FOR obtaining facts Of this
sort and. with prompt public spirit he took the
action stated The first trials took place IN the pres
ence Of 4 representative OF The Tribune. and the
frs, two rifles tested were Rcmnsions, 40 S. $50.
captain Charles II. clark. L. : y. OF the ord
nance branch. assisted by Lieutenant Paxton. made
tho tests The range FOR ascrrtalnrg trajectory II
illustrated herewith Fourteen screens 10 feet
apart were set up between the firing point and the
work q timber. WIN a siding sash running in
grooves a.ong the upfghtf "a" SASH coNriel with
h~'snt Is means Of a transit these screen frames
VIZ" accurately aligned ana pee IA -.cnet
Al the same lowell on "tch one; When ready the
Remington me was c'ampeI by solder lht2
y,e mount. 9 per ~ a., Ds,,H IA ,ni, ie are
ret c5u.I ho ION and several shots were nrod. un
rc. 4r , rnr. sS fsr iT. sho, IS roash ap-
rrlAImatnn to ihe supposed llno OF fight those in
HINT mi . ni m ilrs" .aoi VAS nrcd picrccd
IN first screen through tho centre and the second
tae utror -. o. ~ wo5iwoFk OF ihc thiri SSH,
AMI aAppc.frd from Wow forever. no ono could
ftlu NJ
th,n arrange tho screens anew, and second shot
vas dr,d. followed b, = series Of sharp ticks rs
-ion ana thon thump as Il struck TIL iatset
Inc from ihe inuzzl- O., The rife s,raigh, 20 where
the bu!le, struck the target. gave the trajectory;
aeh; has Sine. been obtained in case Of every other
me tested The nrst days oNperimenis were SUI.
colonel FARLEY. L.,utenan, Benet. Lieutenant
Stacey ani several c!vihans
MEASURING INITIAL VELOCITY.
Initial velocity is asc-rtlinrd by delicate tests In
The proof house. and this building is interesting fot
It's Instructive collection OF rifles. ranging from the
uncertain b., beautifully balanced Old nnt-lock 70
the most modern repeating rifles IN the hands Of
the armies oi ~" worli.
Continual icsis are being made IN this building at
frankfort Arsenal for velocity. accuracy pressure.
ct Velocity Is ascerano1 by simpl" YET delicate
and Ingenious device. In front OF the muzzle OF
rrc. fired IN machine rest, Is an iron plate con
tanning an aperture crossed 10y fine electric wire.
This wire Is severed 10y the bullet the moment II
Lave the rc Hnd , an ss,re p GIT r., IF9 ih.r
- =. ngnt steel spring. pressing pm so a. 10 MAKE
second circuit. The impact OF the bullet breaks
Tho second electric circuit. The circuits connect
with 4 l,OulcnrH chfonograph. IN which from two
electric magnets hang TWO steel rods. supported
only hv magnetic attraction one rod has jacket
Of Zinc and when the first circuit IS broken II fails
by gravity The second circui, s. OF course" broken
almost hu, not quit simultaneously, and when
the second rod falls IL strikes a spring. which
cuugcs 4 little knife 20 fy ana max" nick IN
the SIT Of the first rod before IL has ceased falling
That shows how FAR the first rod has fallen In the
interval and. from tho LAWS II falling bodies,
which are nxcl and inmutablr. all the rest Is
figured out accurately and definitely.
NEW THINGS IN SMOKELEeS POWDER
In the proof-housc also tested all varieties Of
s;nokeless powder. whether of European or Ameri-
can invention These tests IN many cases have
given good results. Sufficient to indicate tho proba
bniiy that smokeicss powder viii soon be OBJ
tanned which. with the new magazine rine Will
kinds oil smOkrlcss powder have already been IN
vented. The specimens to he seen AT Frauhiord
Arsenal vary greatly IN appearance. one kind
looks Ike blue hdir another Ike Nrrmicclll and
another smells Ike pineapple. If invention IN THIS
direction continues to bc acute In the future 1t is
not urpJss hlt ina CINE that. IN some Tor
Instance in II private duel. the day H. not far al
tant when man can be shot with powder adapted
pineapple. vanilla. saTsapara or some other
INC American Will be greatly Interested In what
he can see at this wonderful Government factory. II
ne can get permission TO visit H. The laboratory. in
charge OF Captain Pitman, mas recently been eN-
tcnsivciy equipped with the most delicate appa-
ratus and this enthusiastic scientist Is attaining re-
suits Of value to the Government. A complete hos
hot often in roquistion. In one OF the factories
pondrrous hydraulic machine is being constructed