Norwich bulletin., 1916-11-18
BERTHlER GUN TESTED
 AT SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
May Prove More Successful Rapid Fire Rifle Than the Famous Lewis Gun

Sometime ago announcement was made that the Berthier Machine gun of which the Hopkins and Allen Arms company hold the exclusive manufac- turing rights, was being manufactur- ed by a Sprinield concern. This. ac- cording to the reasons gwen at that time, was because the Hopkins and Allen Arms company did not wish to have the manufacture Of the Berthier gun interfere with the present con tract upon which they are engaged. It is understood that this is but a temporar! arrangement and that the Berthier gun will be manufactured at the Hopkins and Aliens plant in this city as soon as the present contract is filled :nd conditions warrant.
 With reference to the Berthier gun the Springfield Republican on Friday said:
 The Baush machine tool company of this city has developed a Bertheir machine gun which may prove a more successful light rapid-fire rifle than the famous Lewis gun around which such a big controversy has ragged for several years. Furthermore if it lives up to it's promises, it will be the finest light machine gun in the world and will be adopted by the United States army. Informal tests have already been held at the United States ar Iio1y III IlilS Cllys anu IL IS und6T- stood that the gun has behaved ad n1irably. But the tests have not been thorough enough to conclusively prove the worth of the weapon, and so further informal tests will be con ducted with it. Next spring the gun other machine guns for the tests which will be run at the arrnory for the pur- pose of definitely selecting the proper rapid-fire rifles for the United States army.
 The joint army and civilian board which has been appointed for this pur- pose in view of the criticism leveled at the ordnance department for its failure to adopt the Lewis gun, has already conducted preliminary sur- veys at Washington and decided in favor of the Vickers-M Maxim gun as first choice and the Lewis gun a as sec ond choice. Final tests will be run here beginning May 1. 1917, and all inventors are urged to enter their guns for the compensation. The selec- tion of the two named above is by no means final.
 The Berthier gun is a Belgian in- vention and had just reached the stage of manufacture on a practical scale when the European war broke out. The French, it is understood, were ready to begin it's manufacture and a factory had already been built at Liege when the German rush start ed. But before Liege fell the four guns that had been manufactured and the plans were taken away to safety. They were subsequently bought by an American firm, either the Baush com pany or principals for whom they are now acting. The Belgian inventor and the chief engineer are now in this city with the Baush company engaged in the further development of the weapon.
 yTt,e ,,rao+ o5,,o,+a-a 70 4l. DIL. gun Is its extreme lightnes, which fits 1t for aeroplane and slzirmish work in a way that the Lewis gun is now used by the British. It weighs by 13 pounds, whereas the Lewis gun weighs around 24. The Vickers- and really an improvement of the 1904 Maxfun, is a heavy belt-fed rifle. It is considered by far the best ma chine gun in the world but is designed for permanent defense work and not for a type of work that requires facil- it on their second and third lines of defense. The lighter Lewis gun they use on the advance lines, in their drives and in aerop1anes.
 The Lewis gun appears to have been used in the field by the British with considerable success but this does not mean that it can be used with equal success by the United States army. The reason is that to be practical in the field for this country it must be able to use the service car fridge. The latter is of 30 caliber, whereas in the British army it is of 1903 calibre. Furthermore the Amer ican cartridge is much longer and more powerful than the English so that the Lewis gun in the British army must stand @ pressure of but 43,0O0 pounds to the square inch, while in America 1t must stand a pressure of 50,000 pounds to the square inch. Tn addition in America for a proper mar. gin of safety the tests require that the guns withstand a pressure of TO- 900 pounds.
 The trouble with the Lewis gun has come right there, so men who defend the action of the ordnance department in first rejecting the Lewis gun con tend. It is asserted that in making over the Lewis gun to 30 caliber the only essential changes were in the chamber. Inasmuch as a machine gun is a highly delicate instrument, like an automobile engine and the gun was not entirely rebuilt to take care of vibration or, in word, properly co -Zdinated in all details, the gun has not been able to srand up properly