The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-08-16
FOR NOCTURNAL FIGHTING.
Rifle or Revolver Sights For Night
Firing.

Rifle or Revolver Sights For Night
Firing.
The importance of night attacks in
war, made evident during the Boer
war in South Africa, was still further
emphasized In the recent campaign In
Manchuria, and there is little doubt
that such attacks will be a 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 night
| attackP.
The two great objections to night al
tacks have been, first, the danger OF
mistaklng the road or attacking the
wrong point Of the enemy's line, and
the confusion usually accompanying
such stacks, due to uncertainties OF
all kinds; secondlyp. the inability TO
deliver aimed fire IN the attack, be-
cause the sights cannot be used in
the dark and II is often impossible
even TO see the enemy.
The japanese have shown that night
attacks can be made without confus-
sion II troops are properly trained TO
this work.
The question OF aimed FIRE is there
fore the only one remaining to be
solved, and II seems that the Allgem-
cine Waffentechnische Gesellschaft H.
Berlin has solved even this satisfhc-
torily in its rev invention, calico
The noctoscope,
II ic really not sight In the ordin-
airy sense at all, and yet II is q very
excellent sight In 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 short cylinder attached
TO the under side of the barrel OF a
niufket revolver OF automatic pistol
containing an incandescent lamp, a
reflector and lens, 30 arranged that
by bringing the lamp into action a
cone OF light is thrown out TO the
front Of the bore or muzzlo OF the
fIearm.
The arrangement OF the parts and
the action OF the noctoscope are very
ingeniously contrived. The incandes-
cent lamp itself is the most Interest
ing part. II consists Of two filaments
In planes perpendicular to each other;
one, an outer, larger and higher fila-
ment, In the vertical plane OF iire CT
the firearm; the other an inner, small
Ter and lower filament, in vertical
plane perpendicular to The first The
object Of this arrangement will appear
below.
A dry battery carried IN the pocket
is used TO furnish the current for this
electric light. The reflector Is In the
rear OF the ircandescent lamp npd re-
fleets the light TO the front TO illumln-
ate the object or point 10 be ared on
OF course, this firing is cn,y appll-
cable at comparsti. ely short range.
where point blank firing Is required
The apparatus is ct present available
only up TO 40 or 80 yards range, but
even this will be very useful in night
attacks. In which close approach 10 tle
enemy without discovery has been
successfully 6one. and indeed light
attacks are very generally close range
AFFAIRS
But Improvements are In progress.
and II is hoped, 20 increase the range
very greatly In the near future. An
improved form Of lens IS 10 We used
TO throw the cone OF light further to
the front and an elevating arc is 10
be attached TO the side OF the appar-
stus (properly illuminated bv he lit-
tie lamp, OF course) for giving the
elevation corresponding to the range.
The filaments OF the lamp II made of
carbon would be broken by the shocks
OF discharge after firing few rounds,
consequently they are made OF metal
lie threads, which will enable q Man
nlicher automatic pistol, for example,
to endure fYom twenty 70 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 1t is
very dif'ieult to aim at the light, aud
the glare protects the man behind Il.
Moreover, the firearms can be held
over the head or 20 one side and thus
avoid all danger TO the man using 1t.
and yet his aim gik not be disturbed
since he has merely to put the illumin-
ated cross o. The part Of the enemy
to be hit aad fire.
The cost OF the apparatus complete
10 about si5. and It can be applied TO
any frearm,'
Other uses for this apparatus read
ny suggest themselves. IT'S usefulness
on outposts aud In night reconnoiss-
ance, ~ well Is by the police, etc, Is