The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-06
Krag and Springfield.

>There may be more argument as to
whether the Springfield rifle with smokeless
powder can still be used with advantage by
the militia than one would imagine from
Governor RoosEvELT's message. The Gov
ernor says that it, limited range renders
it of small value against an enemy armed
with high-power magazine arms, wholly
apart from the fact that the smoke of black
powder makes those who use it a target for
hostile fire. Hence he would reject the
Springfield for the New York troops alto
gether.
Black powder, Of course, is doomed, and.
in fact, is done with already and forever.
The war with Spain was the last in which it
will figure among our troops, regular or
volunteer, whatever the infantry arm or car
bine en- ,loyed. AS for the artillery, its
black powder at Santiago made it, like the
State troops, n target for the enemy, and
such powder will neveragain be found in our
cannon on the battlefield. What remainsin
stock may be utilized for salutes or analo-
gous purposes, but not against an enemy.
But the question whether the Springfield
.45-calibre, supplied with the smokeless pow
der now made for it by the Government.
may still be useful is rather different, and
here We are bound to note that the Ord
nance Department does not agree with the
Governor.
In his current annual report Gen. FLAG
LER says that, in the first place, the Spring
fields simplicity and security against
getting out Of order even with the toughest
usage make it especially valuable to new
t.,on, ~ ut lanat until fIau lynnw hnuy 70
take care OF the more complicated maya
zine arm. Then, as to its inferiority as a
single-shot and short-range weapon, the
Chief Of Ordnance has this to say:
Stress has been laid upon the fact that the mag.
azine arm could be fred more rapidly than the
Springfield. As the latter can 10 fred fourteen
rounds per minute. and as a soldier who fires eff
GENTLY to hit in battle must determine the range.
set his sight, select tho object to be fred Ut and take
correct aim,a and cannot therefore usually FIRE more
than one round per minute. this is . matter OF minor
Importance. That IL. tho arm can be fred. say. ten
times as fast as it should be fired In battle II
efficiency and execution are properly attended
to. The time required for charging tho mag
azine leaves the magazine rife no material
superiority in this respect. The advantage OF
the magazine arm in respect to rapidity OF Are con
sists in the TACT that there are always hve car.
tridges in tho magazine which can DO hred moro
quickly than Ave shots from the single loader.
should occasion make this necessary. Such occasions
are exceedingly rare.
Much has been said inconsideratoly OF the Sup
posed short range Of the sprinyh cid. Its extreme
range-two milcs-is practically the same as that Of
the magazine rife, and at this range the shock or
blow from its bullet is greater than that from the
lighter bullet Of the magazine rine-a matter OF i'm
portance in lonG.range firing"
1t will be seen, then, hat the Ordnance
Department does not admit that the USE
fulness of the Springfield rifle has passed
and as to the Governors statement that
it is doubtful whether smokeless-powder
cartridges can be adapted to 1t, we have
Gen. F~LAGLER's official assertion that all
the difficulty "has been overcome, and
smokeless-powder cartridges are now sup
piled for it.
The Chief OF Ordnance refers, in his re-
port, to the opinions OF some excellent
officers" both infantry and cavalry, given
since the magazine arm was adopted, that
for all-round uses the Springfield is the
better; perhaps the most striking express
sion OF all on this subject is that OF Gen,
MERRITT. who. in his testimony before the