The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1910-05-06


this new weapon will be sufficiently
perfected to fight It's way into adop-
tion by the worlds armies. Many
inventors are at work on this arm Of
the future. but only the Moudragon
rifle and the rife of the Mauser works
at Oberndorf, Germany, have received
serious consideration by the military
authorities.
The Mauser gun is the ordinary
German military musket altered to
an automatic arm, with the same
muzzle velocity and firing regular
service ammunition, although its
weight is a little more than that of
the service musket 1t can be used
In variety of ways ca most impor-
tant condition for use in service) as
a single rounder, firing deliberately
one round at time, with a five
round clip firing either separate
rounds deliberately or all In rapid
succession automatically, or the same
with twenty-ive-round clip. The
clips of five rounds can be used in
the twenty-five case, and the lat
ter can be refilled at any time,
whether entirely or only partially
empty. Moreover, when the five case
or twenty-five case is attached to the
gun the latter can still be used as
single loader, single cartridges being
inserted and fired as desired, while
the five or twenty-five is reserved for
any emergency that may arise. The
mechanism is very simple and quite
strong and durable, making the arm
a service weapon in all respects A
similar mechanism has been applied
to the army pistol,
The automatic weapon of the
Mauser works is undoubtedly the best
now in existence and promises to be
rapidly perfected to so high degree
as to insure its early adoption.
In France extensive experiments
with automatic muskets have been
carried on but inventors have so far
lost sight of essential conditions to
he fulfilled that the authorities have
found it necessary to formulate and
publish them for the benefit of the
public
They may he summarized as fol-
lows: In general Ii may be said that
partial or total change in the arm
ing Of infantry can take place only
when the automatic rife. as regards
its management, handling and SER
viceahility in war, can show decided
superiority over the present service
weapon. the Lehel rifle. The arm
must be loaded like the present arm,
at most with five rounds, and the
whole must be capable of being fired
by one pull on the trigger without
lowering the piece The arm must
also be capable of being used as an
ordinary repeating rifle, and it must
also allow loading with single rounds
shot for shot
The piece must be simple, strong
and readily kept in order and capable
of being easily assembled or taken
apart by hand alone without toolSl.
Its weight must not exceed 9ls
pounds, and the recoil must be mod
crate, Its length must be such that
firing in double ranks can take place
without danger. but with hayonet at
tached il must not be much shorter
than the present arm. It must admit
of rapidity Of fire with SkirmiSher
lying down Of at least twenty shots
r minute, The trajectory must be so
fiat that at SIS yards its height shall
not be over L fee.
1t may require some time to bring
the automatic hrearm 70 the required
degree Of perfection. but considering
the rapid progress that has recently
been made military authorities are OF
the opinion that the day of auto
matte rifles is not far distant, and
there is ne doubt whatever of its Ill
tim&te success aud introduction into
the armies Of the world.
The bicycle battalion Of enc OF the
italian BersSSdert regiments has re-
Gently made some very interesting ex-
perimentS in regard 70 the transporta-
tion Of machine guns by means Of b.
cycles. In the various field maneu-
vTeS it was thus possible 30 utilize
fully these machine s0as il the il
fantry, 70 which they are assigned.
buzz more than that, they could De
used with great SivantaSe by the
BevsaSliesi bicycle battalioas them
selves, which are often required 20
act alone. or 70 support their own
cavalry o. oppose the e2eay'S, in 81
o. which cases the machine guns en-
sS,ei them 70 make their stIscSS With
ensSsy and SurprisiaS rGpidiCy.
DuVias the earlier exercises the
machine suns were transported near
ly Wn 70 the firms line By means o.
nloSo- loTrieS. hat il vas found shaI
these loVrieS on account Of their large
size and the noise OF the motor TOO
readily disclosed their presence 10 the
enemy. especially in changes OF posi-
tion, thus not only exposing a favor
able tarses 70 the enemy's artillery.
bat also re- sAling me actual position
taken up. - that he as1aoS lacked
the elements o. surprise FOR TIE
Ssaessl advance and re lsese7
changes Of position the mosOr loTEisS
were foSaG Indispensable
At SrSt the machine suns we're
carried On uasE's shoulders, bus Il
S&s found tina. in this oSss the de-
tsohleat could not &ssa ~ VIII tbs