The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-17

Slghted for l4OO yards, ana, shooting
at that distance or, perhaps, at 1000
yards, the muzzle had to be held so
high that at the highest point of the
elliptical orbit which the bullet de-
sCribed, and before the force of at
traction began to draw IT downward,
a man could have stood with safety.
The line of flight of a bullet from the
new gun is much closer to the earth,
and hence it is all the more dangerous
In firing at a mark 1000 yards away
the old gun would have to be held at
an angle of degrees. 5S minutes, and
10 seconds; the new gun will do the
same work when held at an angle OF
only degree, 36 minutes and second.
The former drove a bullet 500 yards in
1.25 seconds of time; and the latter
will Dropel 1t the same distance in
1.0l2 seconds. At a distance of 1000
yards the time would be 800 seconds
for the Springfield and only 2.5S7 Sec
onds for the magazine rifle. 1t was
possible to fire with the old weapon
only II or IL shots per minute, whereas,
with the new, So shots can be fired
from the hip, and 80, using the
magazine.
The killing and penetrating qualities
of the new gun are astonishing, and
the comparative figures alone can give
a person any idea of its abilities in this
respect. The shell of the old rifle con-
tained 500 grains of ordinary lead, 20
grains of musket powder and one-half
grain of percussion composition. 1t
would carry $500 yards, which it would
do in PIP seconds of time; it would kill
at 1,S00 yards; and at 500 yards would
pierce 1915 inches of white pine, and
would always flatten more or less when
coming in contact with any solid OBJ
iect. The new bullet is much smaller;
it weighs only from 495 to 442 grains;
contains So grains Of smokeless powder
of the nitro-cellulose type; the lead is
jaCketed with nickel steel, which allows
the bullet to go clear through a per
son, or any other object, without fiat
tening or In the least changing It's
course; it will penetrate 1885 inches Of
white pine at 500 yards. and at 1000
yards will go through 11.44 inches of
the same material: in 3i.6 seconds it
Will kill at 4,066 yards and carry to a
greater distance.
To illustrate this more clearly by
practical examples: If a man were to
fire this gun from the corner of Main
avenue and Jackson street. Hyde Park,
the bullet would kill a person on the
steps of the Bristol House, Providence:
and If it were discharged from the top
of The Tribune or Mears buildings.
from the City Hall or the court house,
it would make a corpse of any one
standing in the line of danger at the
Oral School for the Deaf, or even four
blockG beyond, which distance it would
travel in thirtyfour short seconds.
The new weapon has only little over
ten pounds Of pressure on the recoil, as
against nearly seventeen times as much
for the old. The magazine contains
five cartridges. and the chamber one.
At will, either may be used; and.
though the magazine may be filled a
cutoff closes it till it is needed, it he
ing possibly to freely use the chamber
in the meantime. A slight spring can
be turned, which locks the piece and
renders it entirely secure.
One other great advantage of the
magazine rifle consists in the fact that
the person using it, either in peace or
in war. may take out the bolt which
fills the chamber and thereby render
the weapon, as far as shooting is con-
cerned, entirely useless; this bolt can
be again slipped into place in an in
stant. The cleaning rod, which is dis
jointed and consists of three parts, and
the oil can are hidden in the stock. The
ritling inside is very beautiful and
makes a full turn in every ten inches
The baYonet is a knife, which is ad-
justed through a groove and held by
means of a spring. 1t resembles very
closely the short sword of the Romans
and has a guard for the hand. 1t can
be used for almost any purpose--to dig
a trench, to cut bread, or slash or pierce
an enemy. 1t can be used on the gun
or in the hand in case of necessity.
The new belt is ,Iue, and is made to
carry 100 cartridges. There are two
thimble-like rows of cartridge loops,
one row on the outside of the other.
The boys are delighted with the change
and take the greatest possible pride in
the new rifle, The first drill was held
this morning and no special trouble
was found in handling this MASTER
piece of destructiveness.
Sergeant Rober. Williams, OF Com
pany f, who was detailed as corps
color bearer while Major General Gra-
ham was the corps commander, has
been honorably discharged from the
volunteer service and is now regular.
When General Graham was retired by
the war department several months
ago and Major General Young succeed
ed him, Sergeant Williams was still re-
tained for that hOnored post, having
made many friends and displayed more
than ordinary efficiency as a horseman.
While thus engaged at corps headquar-
ters his worth as a soldier was fully
appreciated by Carl Reichman, who
was the corps adjutant general under
General Graham.
Carl Reichman has since been made
captain of Company q, Seventeenth
United States regular infantry, sta
toned till recently at Columbus, S. c.
Sergeant Williams succeeded in OBJ
tanning an honorable discharge, and
Immediately Joined Captain Reichman's
company, with the rank Of first SER
geant.
This regiment has left Columbus for
New York city, from which place it
will sail for the Philippine Islands by
way Of the Mediterranean sea and the
Suez canal. Sergeant Williams was an
excellent soldier, and was for many
years a member Of the National Guard.
He is the son of Ebenezer Williams. Of
Chestnut street. Hyde Park, a member
of the firm of j. ID. William q Bros. He
leaves for the Orient with the best
wishes Of his many friends in the regi-
ment for his success.
Lieutenant George Merriman, of the
medical STAFF, has returned from Itha-
ca N. Y. where he sDent the hoIidavs