The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-10-07
LIKE NEW BAYONET.
Army Officers Pleased With Small
Rod Attached to New Rifles.
(From the New York G.obe.)

lFTO.n the New 1.ODt.D
Washington. Sept. 7.-Ordnance eN-
perts of the army. as a rule refuse TO
lav much stress on the Importance Of
the bayonet, in spite OF the accounts
of desperate hand to hand fighting in
the far east. Many believe the time
bayonet. In adopting the new maga-
zine rifle, which is attracting much at
tention just now, the government did
take step in that direction.
rFhe bayonet on the new weapon IS
some respects it's most interesting fea
ture. 1t is not detached from the gun
as in the case of bayonets used on the
army rifle of the United States up 10
this time. 1t is simply a roo of ilne
steel about twenty incnes long ana
about a quarter of an inch in diane
ter. 1t tapers near the end to a rathe'
blunt point. 1t is carried as a part of
the gun and when not drawn out fOI
use is in an aperture in the wood tina.
surrounds the barrels or the gun and
underneath the barrel, the point even
with the muZzle.
When necessary for use the bayonet
1t is drawn out about eight inches ana
held from sliding either way by
thumb catch. Whether in actual ser
vice at close quarters it would prove
efficient against a foe armed with til .
Old b2yoneJ is a question. Ordnance
officers say that while the new bayo-
net appears small, it is large enough 10
inflict fatal wound, and besides it has
the merit of being easily drawn. The
old knife bayonet on the other hand IS
difficult to extract from any object Il
penetrates, and especially likely to get
caught and held in the clothing.
In the opinion of the ordnance
officers this simple rod bayonet vii,
answer all needs in case of close conf
bat. They say they believe the stories
from the far east about bayonet work
are exaggerated and that little bayo-
net work has been done. in their oDir-
ion, save when rendered necessary ty
exhaustion of ammunition.
1t is further pointed out that the
workmanship Of the American army =
SO high that the likelihood of American
troops permitting a foe to come to close
quarters is much less than in the case
CT foreign armies One great advantage
OF the new bayonet is that the troops
will not throw it away In the Philip
pines it was found the troops in max
ing their way through the jungles, cor
sidered the bayonet a hindrance I,
!. their movements and consequently
thousands of these weapons were re-
ported lost in action. In reality they
had been quietly thrown away.
The old knife bayonet has been found
; OF some value as an entrenching too,
and in order to meet this need the gen.
eral staff is now working on such an
implement. Those that have bee 1
evolved are not very satisfactory 1t
seems to be impracticable to devise
, such a tool to be carried by the soldier
at all times and not tend to weight
him down too greatly. The plan is now
, to have an entrenching tool that, when
! not in the region OF the enemy. can be
carried in wagons. but can be close at
! hand.
How best to carry ammunition is an
. other problem that has given mu IN
J trouble. Il is believed IL has been
f. worked out satisfactorily by devisirg
| what is called n bandolier. q simp.e
belt OF stout cloth containing six pock-
/ cts. Each pocket will hold five car
| tridges. One or more of these can b
1 easily carried over the shoulder, and
the remaining ammunition can be car
ried in the regular cartridge belt. This
| idea is an outgrowth of the practice
followed in the Philippines, where It
was found impossible to carry the am
munition needed in one belt about the
waist, and consequently a second bel;
was used. thrown over the shoulder.