The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-16
From the Boston Globe.


 HCHE invention of a new rapid NY firing gun-not a niece of ar
 tillery, but a weapon for in- fantry and cavalry-which has increased the killing power of soldier from 20 to 100 times, is well said by World s Work to be regarded as the most not able peacemaking event of the year. be- cause 1t multiplies the destructiveness of warfare.
 It is said that though 1t has be- come part of the equipment of the United States army, and will be manu- factured in the governments arsenal at Springfield, Mass, no nation will have a monopoly of the invention; and. therefore, no over-confdent army will be tempted into arrogance because of it's possession.
 The new invention, known as the Ben et-Mercie gun. 1t says, will probably dis place the Maxim which has hitherto been thought to have reached the pos abilities of rapid firing. But the Maxim with it's tripod) weighs ,60 pounds, and five mules are usually required to carry each gun and its equipment. It is there fore considered as artillery, for 1t can not be kept in the van of an infantry charge, nor can it keep pace with cav airy.
 The Benet-Mrcie weighs only 22 pounds and in the government tests an infantryman carried the gun and 300 rounds of ammunition for five miles. In skirmishing, its efficiency was shown to be about equivalent to that of 20 men armed with rifles. Under more favorable conditions, it is said to have as great efficiency as an infantry com pany of from 75 to 100 men.
 In cavalry use its advantages are even greater. It is so constructed that its stock weighing 10 pounds can be hung on one side of the saddle, while the barrel, weighing 12 pounds. can be hung on the other side. The two parts can be ad- justed for action in about 20 seconds, and their weight Is not sufficient to re- tard the movements of cavalry.
 ''The Maxim is also at another dis advantage; its barrel is cooled by means of water jacket. So great is the heat generated by rapid firing that the jack ct is necessarily renlled after the first 750 shots, and therefore 3 pints of wa ter are used for each 1000 shots. This means not only the necessity of carry ing a heavy weight of water, but also the generation of cloud of steam which reveals to the enemy the location of the machine gun.
 "Tbe Benet-Mercie gun is air-cooled. The outside of the barrel Is grooved to expose greater surface to the air, and at the lower part of the barrel Is a series of radiation coils, similar to those used in the air-cooling device of an automatic engine This radiation is sufficient to keep the barrel cool if not more than 100 shots are fired per minute; and 1t is claimed that the bar rel will not become overloaded at 200 shots per minute until about five min utes have passed. In case overheatins should take place an extra barrel (which is carried as part of the equipmenD may be adjusted. This change took 40 sec onds during one army trial. but it is claimed that the time can be materially reduced The air-cooling mechanism does away with the necessity of carrying water"
 As regards the use of this new auto- matic gun. it is said 1t is fired from the ground. having supports barely long enough to hold 1t at a convenient height. The gunner takes q reclining position. This method of firing Is adequate for distances up to approximately a mile. and 1t is within this radius that the pur win probably find its chief effici. sncy. It wll shoot about two miles. but