The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-02

Uncle Sam Has Bought Death.
Dealing Gun With Which He Will
Put the RedeIs to Flight.

With Ag,inaldo a fugitive, deserted by
all his troops save a small body-Suard,
organized instruction IL the Philippines
seems to be broken, If we are to judge
from the sanSline reports from leaders
in the East But even they admit that
most of our army of invasion will be
required for some time to come to act
not only as an army OF occupation but
also to run down the numerous guerilla
bands that will lodge in the swamps and
mountains, pillage and rob the inhaotants
and harass our. garrlsons.
To search out these robber bands from
their hding-places the field artillery now
mt the front will be Of little use. Inc
nshtest possible sort Of a mountain or
machine gun that can so wherever
mule can will be required. Keen interest
will therefore be taken, particularly by
artillery experts, in the doinss or Z ne"
mountain gun equipment winch WIS
recently sent to Manila.
To look at the gun one might conclude
that there were three barrels-a large
central one with two smaller barrels par
allel to the main one. These SIDE barrels
are simply hydraulic buffers tor the pur-
pose OF checking the recoll, and they
comprise the most important features of
the unique system. They are really two
cylinders, supported by q cradle, Which
also carries the gun. At the rear snd
of the gun are Tugs. with which the piston
rods engage. me puHeTS are uiieu WI"
6 3-4 pintS Of oil.
When the piece is fred the force OF
the recoil is checked i'll the buffers by
means of the oil, which is forced through
grooves in the piston head. The width
of these grooves varies, so as to maintain
a constant pressure during the whole
length of the recol. which is fourteen
inches. The gun is brought home by
two spiral springs placed round the piston
rods. Great facility in handling the
equipment during firing is essential in
gun of this kind, and this condition can
be fulfilled only by the attachment OF
these hydraulic buffers. The use Of but
fers also enables the gun to be fired IN
Very narrow places, owing to the very
small amount of recoi of the carriage.
The total weight of the gun and carriage
is 500 pounds. The ingenious construc-
ton admits OF division Of this amount
into four nearly equal parts or packages,
each one being a fair load for pack
mule 4 special interchangeable saddle,
weighing forty pounds, has been built to
support the various parts during trans
portaton. To carry one gun complete
and twelve rounds of ammunition tive
mules are required, each one carrying
load, the details OF which are as follows:
First Load
/ gun and mechanism. with
breech and muzzie covers.
2 tubular carrier bars and
pack saddle, &c.................296 lbs.
Second Load
1 cradle and buffer complete.
with cleaning rod, brush and
compton and tubular shaft,
cradle cleaner, sights and two
tubular carrying cars..........29S lbs.
Third Load
l trail with elevating gear and
hand-Spike Observation-Disclosures.
boxes of spare parts and
Fourth Load
2 wheels, axle and break
ropes ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. lbs
Fifth Load
boxes of ammunition, each
box containing three rounds. 10 lbs.
The pack saddle and fittings are included
in these figures.
SIMPLE MACHINE.
The pack mules now used in the Phil
ippines are good, steady American ami
mails, having trusty drivers who are
instructed to put bullet through the
attempt any tricks or bolt toward the
enemy. There is no chance Of their
behaving like the mules of the English
Mountain Battery. which stampeded at a
critical moment, and ran into the arms
of the Beers thereby compelling the sur
render of two battalions OF Great Brltaln's
finest troops.
The chief feature of the mechanism Of
our new gun is its extreme simplicity.
One simple movement Of a hand lever is
sufficient for opening or closing the
breech The whole mechanism can be
put together and taken to pieces by hand
without the aid Of any tools. The firing
pin and handspring can be changed with
out taking the mechanism to pieces or
opening the breech. The breech lock is
tapered. or coned. but. contrary to usual
, practice. the larger d ameter is nearer
the chamber when in position Tor firing.
This arrangement helps the block to
gives less chance Of its being blown out
of tie gun.
The gun was tested exhaustiveiy before
the Board Of Ordnance and Fortihcations
at Sandy Hook, when 400 rounds Of
ammunition were fired under every con-
dition that severe service would develop.
The trials failed to develop a single weak
ness in its construction. and the board
reported it to be the finest gun of its
class in the world. and recommended the
immediate purchase of two batteries. The
report shows that the leading features
strength Of the breech screw mechanism,
which can be mounted and discounted
without the use OF any tools.
There is also great simplicity in mount
ing ana disnountinS4 the equipment.
Instead of having to undo bolts or nuts.
trunnlon caps &c., every partt1s mounted.
or ,dismounted by the moving of d hand
lever, and all the parts are so arranged
that it is impossible for any one to put
wrong parts in place
The equipment can be taken from the
j mules and mounted. ready for firing.
within a minute. while the dismounting
can easily be carried out In half minute
The gun has been dismounted in thirteen
seconds. At trial three men fired three
rounds. then dismounted the breech meet
anism and put it together again: fired
three more rounds, and then took the sun
to p,eces-al in two minutes. Seven
re,,pis we're trad ii ene Minute over a.
i.too.vsra rings =. .asse. 1axsi feat.
I'VE e,,n vii, send a shell 5000 yards,
though the sight is graduated to on,y
so5 s, yards. which has been found sutfi-
Client Glen ii practice. The mountain guns
80. A4..srna In part Of 1.-The artillery III