Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-23

parts are worn, so severe have been
the tests to which they have been sub
jected.
BRASS is a much softer metal than
steel and will therefore not stand the
work that steel will. The bullets l use
now are solid steel. and. being much
lighter than lead, are not capable OF
acquiring the velocity of the heavier
metal by large percentage. The bull
lets that will be used in the real trial
at Sandy Hook will be lead incased in
steel. They will be heavy enough to
do the work properly"
The inventor said he told the officers
everything about the gun except the
power which is used to discharge it.
He said they talked long while about
1t, but eventually admitted that they
could not even venture a conjecture as
TO the power. Mr.. Bangerter made the
interesting disclosure that the Russian
government may take over the new in
vention. If the United States does not
show disposition to move in the mat
ter Said he:
Il know what l have. No individual
can buy the secret, because it would
take too much money to pay for it.
Only national government could af-
ford to buy such thing. and am not
going TO diyulge the secret until l can
get an assurance from power able to
compensate me as think l should be.
| have had all kinds of offers made to
induce me to tell how l project those
bullets. but l have also received
proposition from wealthy promoter
of New York city who proposes to go
to Europe within few weeks and lay
the matter before Russia's war minister
This gentleman offers to pay his
own expenses and to furnish So. 900
with which to build complete. gun,
mounted on an auto truck and equip
ped with the necessary motive power
TO operate truck and gun-that is,
hundred horsepower motor. He has
transacted business with the Russian
government and is well acquainted
with high officials there"
Other governments are also after the
gun, according TO the inventor. He is
disposed to give the United States the
first chance. he said. but he added:
at is the experience of all who have
any invention TO offer to the United
States that the delay is disheartening
| have had an extensive cable CORE
spoadence with London, in which |
am offered $5.000,000 for the worlds
right. provided the gun will stand the
British government test A months
option was requested by cable. but out
| of courtesy to the chief of the United
States war ordnance board ! declined
to give an option to the Englishman.
/ cabled him that would consider the
proposition. You see. there are several
| good reasons why l am anxious to get
some kind of an intimation from Uncle
Sam that he will do business If | can
provide the gun / describe. OF course.
| even after the transaction reaches the
stage where an appropriation is asked
for. by General CroZier, it will take
congress months if not years to pass
upon 1t. and the delay might so mill
| tate against consideration by other
| powers that i may be prevented frdih
| making any kind of deal with either
| one of them"
| No date has yet been fixed for the
trial of the new gun at Sandy Hook
The new gun can be operated by two
men. and one striking feature of it Is
that. whereas it costs $4,000 to fire
| 100000 bullets for the present serv-
Ice guns. the total cost using the Ban,
| serter gun would be $40.