Abilene weekly reflector., 1899-04-20
RIFLES SENT TO MANILA.
5000 Krag.J .Jorgsnssns Forwarded for
the Volunteers.

Statements have been mada recent
ly in press reports from Manila that
the rifles in the hands Of the United
States Volunteers serving in the Phil
ippines were not equal in range and
power to the rifles used by the Fill
pinos. Some comment has been
caused by this statement, and in
order to ascertain the truth Repre-.
sentative Marsh Of Illinois wrote
to Adjt..Gen. Corbin on April ask.
ing for information. Gen. Corbin's
answer, which has been received BY
Representative Marsh, is as follows
Replying to your esteemed favor
of the 9th Of the month, commenting
on the arms in the hands of our
troops in the Philippines, l have the
honor to state that all the regular
troops are armed with the Krag.
Jorgensen, calibre 80. All the vol
unteers called into the service were
armed with the Springfield, calibre
40. The department not having
sufficient Krag-Jorgensens for this
purpose, as fast as the more modern
arm could be supplied, all the volun.
teers we're armed with the new gun.
"On Nov. II, 1898, Gen. Otis cabled
for 5000 magazine rifles. In order
to obtain them the Second Corps,
which was in the South at the time,
had been deprived Of its arms Of this
kind and the 5000 were sent to Ben
ecia Arsenal for shipment to Manila,
and on Dec. 2S, 1898, information
was sent to Gen. Otis that the rifles
were at Benecia Arsenal, to be for.
warded in lots as called for by him.
On Dec. 29, 1899, Gen. Otis cabled
that be wanted 5000 Of the 5000
rifles shipped at once. Since that
time no further call has teen received
from him, Notwithstanding an addi-
tional 1000 were sent to Manila. So
that he now has 900 Krag-Jorgensen
rifles lover and above those in the
hands Of the regulars) which, it is un.
derstood, he has recently placed in
the hands of the volunteer.
"Smokeless powder cartridges for
Springfield rifles were forwarded to
Gen. Otis some time since. 1t is un-
derstood, therefore, by this depart
ment that at Manila there are on
hand smokeless powder cartridges for
the calibre 45 rifle, and large num-
Der more have either arrived or are
on their way to Manila.
at should be noted with reference
to the Springfield rifle that its sim
plicity and security from getting out
of order under the toughest usage
make it especially valuable to new
troops. Moreover, the troops orig
lnally mustered into the service, be-
ing largely from the National Guard
organizations, were entirely familiar
with this arm. As far as rapidity of
fire is concerned, as long as it is a
question Of aimed fire, there is prob.
bly, little to choose between the two
guns. The Springfield rife has a
range Of about 5000 yards; the maya.
zine rifle Of about 1920 yards, so that
at long range there is a superiority
in favor of the magazine rifle and, in
owing to the smaller diam.
eter Of the bullet, the trajectory Of the
rifle is much the hatter Of
the two. It may be question as to
which is superior against partly
savage foe. The shock or blow from
the bullet Of the 45-calibre rifle is
much greater than from the lighter
bullet Of the magazine rifle. Many
cases Of unofficial statements have
reached the'Ordnance department Of
the ineficiency Of small calibre bullets
fred with high velocities, because Of
their failure to produce the shock
necessary for disabling an enemy, and
'f the greater efficiency Of the 45-cal-
bre arm in this respect.
at is possible that the firing likely
TO occur in country thickly wooded or
with dense underground, as in the
of Manila the SDrinp.