New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-06
UNCLE SANS ORDNANCE MUSEUM.
Collection of Arms at Springfield Shows
Evolution of the Modern Gun.

The United States arnory in Springfield shows
completely the evolution of the repeating rife and
the obsolete and modern arms used from the earliest
days to the present time by every country Of the
civilized globe, says The Boston Globe
Although the collection has been In existence for
years. move was made until recently to preserve
the relics and add to the collection other valuable
pieces that have been scattered and hidden re-
mote places IN the big government plant
Congress recently appropriated money to make
alterations in the administration building the
aru1ory which included extension OF and
marked changes in the museum.
Colonel Stauhope E. Blunt. the new cccanandant
has had everything put IN spick span condition
and the sabres and bayonets rnuskets rifles and
machine guns Of different vtntages may now be
handled without soiling white gloves
AS enters the museum hundreds % rife bar
rels and highly polished bayonets fairly CLEAN In
long rows down the The collection contains
notable pieces of from China and Japan
long spikes and two edged swords, a long cecil IN
miniature, such was used in combat with the
Beers in the attempt to keep them out OF KIM
berry in the South African campaign
Two or three racks in the museum are devoted Ia
arms used by the hostile Indians IN some of the
famous campaigns in American history. These In
clude carbines and rifles some OF which were taken
in Clusters Inflated campaign. These arms were
obtained from the rednen after the close Of their
wars when they were their good behavior
The Indians were obviously good mechanics as
their weapons when out OF repair were bandaeed
with rawhide. In many cases they removed the
breechplates OF their guns and filed them full of
brass headed tacks This was in perfect accord
with their love OF ornamentation and their vanity
some OF the guns were taken by the cavalrynen
In 1873 Among them was Sharpe & Hawkins
gun so constructed that tho entire rife slides for
& Wesson breech loader, calbre 80, rim fire Man
serS OF all patterns and different types OF Lee
notable arm among the Confederate rides is in
scribed In honor of young woman who was muir
the butt and the initials F 4 II !S' and daryss on
Another gun bears the legend. Matte be true
Roberts Ind ise The tn tae name ts
one was left behind that the owner thought rood
deal OF when he went TO the front. The same aun
also contains scroll and wreath OF oak Leaves
carved with jackknife
Not the least interesting arm OF the collection is
asGhiock OF the nfteenth century On this gun
backward over the vent and fastsns II tSsrsp piece
curely. Another curiosity is Old-fashioned blum
This must have been too heavy for a man IN
carry and 1t Is assumed that It carted around
gun with twenty-five highly polished barrs,, o9tberg
was used in the closing days of the rebellion If
wide range. II is about 6o-caiibre and 10 10
loaded with detached ammunition. "
The weapon is so made that the cartridge must
be inserted at the breech while the only protection
the gunner had was a projecting shoulder OF the
another queer type. the cartridges are FED into a
hopper over the breech, and slide down on n re-
TO that Of revolver. and the cartridges are held
in place by the surrounding chambers and are
the siege of Petersburg 1900 "
The department devoted to Chinese firearms ia nv
far the most interesting of all. The gingals which
are two and three men guns, some of them nine
feet long, are the wonder OF the modern gunsmifh
lean gun, with easy breech action. firing pin and
bolt. and bore four inches in diameter or more
Some of them are matchlosks. and some OF them
are Winchssters and Mausers One OF the ginsals
has the screw device applied 70 the breech and in
sdopf modern methods in the curious woman u 70
Conspicuous IN the outfit 10 brsech loading dint-