The times., 1899-07-05
AUTOMATIC ARMY GUNS.
Tests Reing Nndc to Demonstrate
Their Utility for Field Work.

Their Utility for Field Work.
Tests are now being conducted at the
Springfield Arsenal of the Maxim auto
matte machine gun, with view to its
adoption for use by the Army. The Ord
nance Department of the Army has had
under consideration Tor several mont1s the
selection of an automatic gun for service
by troops in the tropics. Different types
of automatic guns have been exam. lined
and tested. In the Navy, after an inves j.
cation of nearly three years. the Colt au-
tomato gun was placed in competition
with number of other inventions. among
them the Accles. French invention; tie
Gardner, the Skoda, and the Maxim. OF
these machine guns, the Colt, Skoda, nd
Maxim were operated automat. .cally. The
others were fired by the turning OF d
crank. The automatic guns have an almost
continuous fire of nearly $50 rounds per
minute.
Machine guns are intended for use
against troops and transportation ANNA S.
1hey use the small arm metallic ammuni-
tion, which is of the same calibre as the
rifle ammunition. Several satisfactory
tests have been conducted by machine guns
manipulated by a crank but few automat-
ic guns have presented such advantages as
to recommend their adoption. The advan-
tages claimed by the Maxim inventors foc
their gun is its lightness and consequent
mobility, freedom from damage due to
hang fires. great directive facility due to
absence OF crank effort, small crew re-
quired. continuity of fire. facility of pack
ing, and stability of cartridges due to de-
sign of feed belt.
The Navy Department recognized some
time ago that the efficiency of the auto
matte gun is much greater than any gun
rod hyy hon Il md fha.
adoption of a gun of this type for landing
parties. The Maxim gun has been used in
several services since 1888, and less than
two years ago was adopted by the German
navy. The tests conducted at Springfield
have proven greatly satisfactory, but
further tests will be given the gun with
the new rimless cartridge.
The points being considered by the board
Of officers at Springfield are as follows:
The certainty of fire. simplicity of mechan-
ism, and its liability to get out of order III
service. accuracy and facility of aimed fire,
rate of fire, weight of gun, method of feed
and ammunition supply, ease and con-
yenieihe of manipulation, and crew Ie-
quired
The Maxim gun is operated by a crew
of two men, the cartridges being fed into
the gun on long belt which passes
through the firing chamber from left to
right This gun is constructed for several
kinds of services. II is built on parapet
mounting for fertilization, and when SO
constructed can be drawn into position by
one man. Its total weight is less than
ffty-four pounds. and it can be so disas-
sembied as to pack on mules or be carried
on the shoulders of a soldier as he would
a knapsack. The Maxim gun was used
with great effect in the Matabele and
Chitral campaigns in 1888 -'94-'95. An il US
tration of their effectiveness is given in an
article in the London Daily News" de-
scribing their use against the Matabele
warriors. The News" says:
Most of these men had probably never seen
machine gun in their lives. Their trust was in
their spears. For in all their rude experience of
warfare they have never known an enemy to with
stand them. In how many European armies would
men who had survived one shower Of hail from
modern artillery come forward 10 try their luck
again? These savages were equal 10 the attempt
but once more the Maxim swept them down in
the dense masses of their concentration.
1t is not improbable that the test of the
Maxim gun will be hurriedly completed
and that orders for this or some other au-
tomato gun TO be delivered to the Army
as soon as possible, will be given by the
Ordnance Department. That they would
be of great value in the Philippine cam
paign where they can be carried through
marsh fields and points inaccessible to
heavy artillery is clearly recognized by
officers of the Army, and General Buffing-
ton will be urged TO provide the Maxim
or some other automatic gun for use in
the trOpics