New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-16
THE NEW NAVAL SMALL ARM
LEE RIFLES NOW BEING SERVED OUT
TO VESSELS AND MARINE BARRACKS
THE GUNS POINTS OF sUPERIoRrr-rrs GREAT
RAPrprTY OF FIRE.

THE GUNS POINTS OF sUPERIORrr-rTs GREAT
RAPfDTTY OF FIRE.
Washington May I5.-The new mode! navai smai'
arms known az the Lee straight-puH rihe are
r.nidIv beinp distributed 10 vessels in commission
and 20 marine barracks. The Naval bureau o.
Ordnance has prepared an official description VI
the new small arms. an examInauSn OF "hlch
shows tina, the new rifles are weapons o. eNUaof-
binary simplicity and strength as 10 inecHdHls'i'
and rapidly and accuracy as 10 actioA FROM 'nese
data II would seem that no military power III
Europe has small arms of as high-grade material
and capa BILE Of such wonderful performances a.
,bosa With which Uncle Sans b.ue-jackets ana
marines are being supplied. The Lee gun Is ui'-
tinctlv an American weapon. being OF ooth uo'he''S
invention and manufacture. II Is rapid-nre OF re-
heating arm rather than magazine gun as II mas
no provision for cutting off the supply OF ammu-
milton from the magazine and using the arm as a
single-loa Ter while the magazine contains car
,ridres The gun may be used as a singe-loader II
the magazine is not charged. but In general l. VIII
he employed as a repeater. five cartridges IN o"p
beiny entered In tho magazine IL II nos 10 ~ re-
loaded until this charge is exhausted In case loose
ammunition is supplied. the magazine can oe
charged with single cartridges. IL being possible 70
enter anv number from one 70 i've. Inc caiIpie VI
the gun is six millimetres, or approxma'ey '-o- Va
an inch Each gun Is furnished with Sing suap'
q knife bavonet and cleaning cord win every
ea 9 supplied dark blue woven p-It' WIN
twelve pockets each covered by a leather nap put
,onine 10 the front Of the pocket Into these pocN-
e,s are placed the metal clips holding the car
trdges.
The breech mechanism comprises the moving
narts OF the breech action, that is the Doll HTihE-
pin and collar main spring. cam lever ana nanae,
extractor and spring Perhaps the most move!
footura of the whole system Is the bolt. II Is
neculiar TO the Lee gun and is single Forging OF
hardened high-grade steel. 1t Is bored out 10 re-
ceive the fring-pin and machined 10 general
rectangular form to fit the receiver
II is speaking within bounds 10 say that the per-
formances OF the new naval small arms are wonder
ful The powder used In the cartridges Is OF the
srnokeless variety That at present employed Is OF
foreign Importation but It is the purpose OF the
Naval authorities soon TO a composition manu-
featured at the Naval Torpedo School Expert
ments with this latter powder have given highly
satisfactory results velocity, chamber pres
sure and keeping qualities and the authorities have
stated that there Will De Ntte Geldy III lSSuLhs
II for general use in the Naval service. Thus far
the Torpedo School has not been able to manu-
facture il in sufficiently large quantities to permit
OF rs immediate general use The foreign poWqer
now employed Is the Troisdorf Into each cartridge
l. placed 331 grains OF the comp9sitol inns gives s
an average velocity 70 the standard bullet OF 1fto
feet per second at distance of sixty feet from the
muzzle Of the gun. The maximum chamber pres
sure'developed by it IS 5000 pounds per square ihGn
The average pressure is 5000 pounds With the
high velocity mentioned. penetration OF y inches
in pine possible when the target is ve ieet from
the rnlzzle in other words, the new naval bullet
will go through fraction over FIVE feet OF this
wood az the given distance from the muzzle; In
steel boiler plate the penetration OF the bullet IS
seven-sixteenths OF an inch al the muzze' and
tlree-eiehths Of an inch az 100 feet !. -.
Tho rapidly with which the rife can be dis
that five cartridges can be fred In three seconds
giving the gun general direction or I'VE shots IN
seven seconds. taking sufficient aim to mr. man
that the new naval arm. in the hands OF an expert,
car be fired nifty times minute, or, assuming that
HE gun and gunner could stand such heavy
strain, 1900 shots per hour