The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-09-12
FOR NOCTURNAL FIGHTING.
Rifle or Revolver Sights For Night
Firing.

The Importance Of night attacks in
war, made evident during the Doer
war in South Africa, was still further
emphasized in the recent campaign in
Manchuria, and there is little doubt
thai such attacks will be promin-
ent feature of future wars.
The greater the accuracy and range
OF firearms the greater the necessity
for approaching the enemy without
being seen, and consequently the
stronger the temptation to make ntght
attacks.
The two great objections to night at
tccks have been, first, the danger OF
mistaking Che road or attacking the
wrcns point Of The enemy's line, and
the confusion usually accompanying
such s'tacks, due to uncertainties OF
all kinds, secondlyp, the inability to
deliver aimed fire II the attack be-
cause the sights cannot be used IN
the dark aud it is often impossible
even to see the enemy.
The Japanese have shown that night
attacks can be made without confus-
sion If troops are properly trained to
this work
The question of aimed fire is there
fore the only one remaining to be
solved, and it seems that the Allgem-
cine Walfentechnische Gesellschaft in
Rerlin has solved even this satisfac-
torily in its rev invention, called
The noctoscope.
1t lc really not sight in the ordin-
ary sense at all, and yet 1t is a very
excellent sight in a more general
sense, inasmuch as II serves to aim
firearms very accurately as far as It's
radius OF action extends.
The apparatus is very simple ana
consists of Il short cylinder attached
to the under side of the barrel OF a
nusket revolver Of automatic pistoD
containing an incandesccnt lamp, a
reflector and a lens, so arranged that
b" bringing the lamp into action a
cone Of light is thrown out to the
front of the bore or muzzle of the
fIearm
The arrangement Of the parts and
'isb Ni.'"lfI VI INC HtNlNStDUt are very
i"geniously contrived The incandes-
cent lamp itself IS the most interest
Ing part. II consists of two flaments
in planes perpendicular TO each other;
one, an outer, larger and higher fla
nent, in the vertical plane of fire CT
tne iirearm; the other an inner, small
Ter and lower flament. in a vertical
plane perpendicular to he first I'he
object OF this arrangement will appear
below.
dry battery carried IN the pocket
is used to furnish the current for this
electric light. The reflector is in the
rear OF the incaudescent lamp and re-
ilocts the light to the front to ilumin-
ate the object or point 20 be fired on.
or course, this firing is only appl-
cable at comparatively short rarge,
where point blank firing is required.
The apparatus is at present available
only up to 40 or so yards range, but
even this will be very useful in night
attacks, in which close approach % ,hc
enemy without discovery has been
successfully done, and indeed hight
attacks are very generally close range
affairs.
But improvements are ir progress,
and it is hoped to increase the range
very greatly in the near future. An
improved form of lens Is TO ue used
to throw the cone Of light further to
the front and an elevating arc is TO
lie attached to the side of the appar-
stus (properly illuminated bv 'r lit
tie lamp, of course) for giving the
elevation corresponding to the range.
The flaments of the lamp if made Of
carbon would be broken by the shocks
Of discharge after firing a few rounds.
consequently they are made Of metal
lie threads, which will enable a Man
nlicher automatic pistol, for examDle,
TO endure from twenty TO forty shots
without breaking.
The light thrown to the front does
not offer good target to the enemy,
as would appear to be the case. In
deed, actual test has shown that it is
very difficult to aim at the light. and
the glare protects the man behind it.
Moreover, the firearms can be held
over the head or to one side and thus
avoid all danger to the man using it,
and yet his aim will not be disturbed
Since he has merely to put the illumn-
ated cross on the part of the enemy
TO be hit and fire.
The cost Of the apparatus complete
is about SIS, and it can be applied to
any firearm
Other uses for this apparatus read
lily suggest themselves. Its usefulness
On outposts and in night reconnaiss-
ance, as well as by the police, etc, is
evident