New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-08

REPORTS OF THE INSPECTORS OF SMALL
ARMS PRACTICE.
GUNS FOR sDACoAsT pEFENcE-A LARGE AMOUNT
OF MATERIAL NEARLY READY FOR
DELIVERY.
(Br TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrpuNE.I


Washington Jan 7--First-Lieutenant John LIZ.
tie. 18th Infantry. inspector Of sma-arms prac-
tcc in the Department OF Texas reports that there
has been a general decrease In the percentage In
target practice. noticeaby In skirmish and voley
firing. In speaking OF reports made 10 him relative
to defects in the new arms and ammunition he
states that the opinion OF officers is virtually
unanimous in recommending a wind guage for tho
guns and better graduated sights. Many officers
suggested a stronger handspring and thinner
front sight They advised that the sights be
placed closer 10 the barrel. In practice firing
cartridges damned I'm the magazine during rapid
work in several instances. No radical defects
discovered In the rife or carb.ne. and many
reports speak OF the arms eminently salts
factory and far superior TO the Springfield guns
The reports ammunition say that in the
OF cartridges loaded with Leonard smokeless pow
der large percentage. in some cases az much
as 90 per cent OF the shells were ruptured when
the cartridges exploded. The rupture occurred
at the neck. but without injury TO the piece or In
convenience the soldier firing. In the case Of
cartridges loaded with Peyton smokeless powder.
few shells were ruptured in some instances only
one in 1coo. The rupture always occurred at tho
rim. causing serious damage TO the bolt or maya
CINE gate OF the gun, usually temporarily deafen-
ing the solder and sometimes unfolding grains
of powder I'm his face, which partly blinded him.
The result was that the soldiers became nervous
in handling their arms.
Another officer Lieutenant Gro:e Hutchinson. 9th
Cavalry in charge of small-aTns practice In the
Department of the Platte. has this 10 say OF his
experience with the Army carbine. which is OF tho
same callbre 80. as the Army rife: practice de-
veloped defects In the sight adopted for the new
of the season. much complaint was made about
the jumping Of the crossbar after firing thereby
altering The elevation. There is general c0mpl Amt
that the sight does not correct FOR drift and wind;
that the weapon carries high and to the right, and
fha oil fgf he M IL
this. the result being that at $50 ard lcp yards the
point aimed at is ssysra feet TO n. left and lower
eral opinion of officers that the shooting qualities
Of se new s T piece S e being ress n
minimum. The amount OF ammunition supplied IS
invited to the unusual number Of sharpshooters-2o
In the eight troops of the Sth Cavalry-sersins IL
the the ageregate and one-hsf more than the total
number in the other thirty-two Organizations. A.
military authorities and manufacturers having con-
tracts with the Wal Department, a eonsiderapls
quantity of ordnance material Intended Tor tns
country coast defence is nearing completion, ana
p be sesd d9f aoass Wh n'0d the next
days Following is the material nearing readiness
f8T sedvce One an Sn r re to VIII
let's Point; two lO-inch treech-loading rines, 20
riages 20 Fort Wadsworth: four Pinch sprng,re-
turn mortar carriages TO Sullivan Island thares-
ton tom iTTr to- Fort Monroe two snch
disappearing gun carases Ana hree loinch dis
appearing gun carriages and five lO-inch bree ~
loading rifles to Boston Harbor: three lO-nch.
brcech- loading rifles and two Pinch breech-load-
ing rifles TO Firms Point y. j.. the place where the
Gated: three lO-nch breechloading rifles and three
lO-inch disappearing gun carriages: 10 Phiiadel-
mia: one lO-inch breech loading rifle. WITH oi>ap-
bearing gun carriage upon which TO moui H. 70
Fort Washington: four l0-inch bree'h HI loading
rifles to Portland. Ne; three l0-inch DreecA-load-
ing rifles and three disappearing gun carriages. 10
Fort Stevens. Ore: three l2-incn, sprnS- urn
mortar carriages. to Fort Preble. Me, TWO ltinch
disappearing gun carriages. TO Fort schuyler y.
Y: thirteen r-ncl sprng-retrrn mortar ca;rlas.s.
rifle TO Fort Winfield Scott. San Francisco
Resides these several trainloads or heavy ord.
nance will be 81 ipped 10 Sandy Hook PART OF
ITEM will form the section OF the fortiacaiiors
around New-iork. and the remainder WI os
tested at the proving ground and then distributed
TO the va rious points to which they VIII be sub
seouently assigned. The consignment 10 Saioy
Hook will consist os two Pinch disappearing car
rispes twenty-three S-inch breech- loading r..es,
twenty.two I0-nch breech-loading rifles, eleven ~
ing carriages; ten 6-pounder. rapid-nre guns. ana
Ten 6-pounder parapet carriages me fnortars
referred mounted in mortar DIS, wnich arc
halou, the surface of the ground. They are really
forts I'm themselves the walls BENG so mick tnat
The most effective piece OF modern ordnance can
have no effect upon them ana, unlike the o.c.
fashioned mortars, those to be used In our coast
defsnces have n range OF AT least five miles. and
an expert gunner can drop sheiIs from one ot
them upon the deck OF ship as far almost as ne
can sec IT, The breech-loading rifles VIII carry
about onemile for each inch OF cniioreIthat Is 70
saw a l0-inch rife has range OF ten miles. wnie
n Finch gun Of the same character could knock q
building down twelve miles away aIthougn. Oh
rate sight il would be practically impossible to
IA oh in NJ distance.