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 p^iy^^i^ S . f^ Mt>^dc4^ 
 
 THE 
 
 VAR BEPARTnENT 
 
 AT THE 
 
 Qept^ppial Exposition 
 
 OF THE 
 
 0HI0 VALbEY AND CENTRAL STATES, 
 
 ci3sroi3snsr-^'T'i, 023:10, 
 
Cif? 
 

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 ■i 
 
 CATALOGUE OF THE EXHIBIT 
 
 H 
 
 D 
 
 E 
 
 OF THE OHIO MLEy 
 L STftTES, 
 
 CINCINNATI, OHIO, JULY I TO OCTOBER 27, 1888. 
 
 ACT OF CONGRESS, MAY 28, 1888. 
 
 THE HON. WILLIAM C. ENDICOTX, 
 
 Captain a. H. RUSSELL, Ordnance Dept. U. S. A., 
 
 War Department Representative. 
 
 Lieutenant E. S. BENTON, 3d Artillery, 
 
 Assistant. 
 
^^0^ 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGK 
 
 CANiS'ON, ArMOK AKl) TolU'EDi IKS 1 
 
 Early Cannon 1 
 
 Trophy Cannon, Revolution '. 2 
 
 Tro])hy Cannon, Mexican War 3 
 
 U. S. Muzzle Loaders 3 
 
 Modern Breech Loaders 6 
 
 Largest European Guns 12 
 
 Depressing Carriages and Armored Turrets 14 
 
 Torpedoes 10 
 
 Volley Guns and Machine Guns 17 
 
 Hand Fire Arms 24 
 
 Match Locks 25 
 
 Wheel Locks 26 
 
 Muzzle Loaders — Flint Locks 27 
 
 Muzzle Loaders — Percussion Locks 28 
 
 Breech Loaders, Single Shot 29 
 
 Paper Cartridges 29 
 
 Metallic Cartridges 32 
 
 " (^uick Loaders " 38 
 
 Re])eating Arms 40 
 
 Early Forms 40 
 
 Revolving Arms 40 
 
 Magazine Guns — Tubular in Butt Stock 45 
 
 Magazine Guns — Tubular Along Barrel 47 
 
 Magazine Guns — " Box " Magazines at the Receiver 51 
 
 Review of Magazine Guns 58 
 
 Automatic Recoil Guns 59 
 
 Ajimunitkin 60 
 
 Fuzes 60 
 
 Primers for Cannon 63 
 
 Powder and Small Arm Ammunition 04 
 
 New Small Calibre Cartridges 68 
 
 i/90899 
 
IV INDEX. 
 
 PAGK 
 
 Sl(iHTS, Al'l'KNDAlJES, EtC 71 
 
 Rasue Finuers 76 
 
 Fix«'(l Aiif^lc Iiistrumonts 77 
 
 Varialde Aii^lt* Iiistrmnents 80 
 
 Sn<i()TiX(i (Ialleky 82 
 
 Powder Pressure 82 
 
 Measurenieiit of Velocity 83 
 
 Re-loadiiig Tools 87 
 
 Relics, Etc .' 88 
 
 Antique and Curious Weapons 88 
 
 Revolution and War of 1812 89 
 
 Mexican War 89 
 
 War of the Rehellion 91 
 
 < ireely Expedition 98 
 
 Miscellaneous 94 
 
 Uniforms and Accoutrements 95 
 
 Horse Ei|uipnients 95 
 
 Skjnai, !Si;kvick IOxhiiut 97 
 
EXPLANATORY EEMARKS. 
 
 The Ordnance, Quartermaster and Signal Departments are regu- 
 larly represented in the exhibit, but the greater part is made up of 
 ordnance stores. 
 
 The main object sought is to present an historical series, outlining 
 the development of fire arms from the earliest period, and illustrat- 
 ing the latest improvements, whether American or foreign, so that 
 fair estimate can be made of our armament in comparison with 
 that of other powers. 
 
 Besides fire arms, a collection of swords, sabres, lances, etc., is 
 shown. A very full exhilnt of small arm cartridges is made. Ex- 
 amples of range finders and testing instruments are seen, including 
 instruments operated practically for determining the velocity 'of 
 projectiles. Many relics of the Revolution, Mexican War, and 
 the War of the Rebellion are exhibited. 
 
 The Quartermaster's Department contributed the field office 
 wagon used by General Geo. H. Thomas during the war; models 
 of various forms of tents used in service ; and lay figures showing 
 the uniforms of different periods. It furnished, too, a quantity of 
 United States flags used for decoration. The boards of bayonets 
 used in decoration were prepared at the National Armory. The 
 flags of different nations hung in the War Department section, were 
 loaned by the Navy Department. 
 
 The Signal Service exhibits many instruments illustrating the 
 processes of observation for forecasting the weather ; with flags, 
 torches, etc., used in military signaling. Weather maps and re- 
 ports are displayed daily. 
 
 The main supi)ly of arms, etc., came from the Military Acade- 
 my, the National Armory, ahd the Frankford Arsenal ; but articles 
 also came from Allegheny Arsenal, Watervliet Arsenal, Rock Island 
 Arsenal, Fort Monroe, the Ordnance Office, and the Ordnance 
 
i:XPLANAT<)K\ Kt.MAkKs. 
 
 Proving CJround, Sandy Hook. Many objects of interest were 
 drawn from the Museum of the Military Service Institution on 
 Governor's Island : and the Engineer Department, though not form- 
 ally represented, sent valuable models of tori)edoes, gun carriages, 
 etc., from Willets Point and New York. Contributions were also 
 made l>y ])rivate jiarties. 
 
 Attendants are always on hand ready to explain and illustrate 
 the use of the various articles. No enlisted men are on duty m 
 the War Department here. The following, all civilians, are em- 
 ployed for this duty and instructed for the purpose : Charles Becht, 
 Captain ist Regiment Infantry, O. N. G.; Edward Schlesinger, ist 
 Lieutenant ist Regiment Infantry, O. N. (i.: Cieo. W. Vanduzen, 
 Newport, Ky.; W. B. Hitchcock, National Armory, Springfield, 
 Mass.; Kinney Lowe, Newport, Ky.; attendants. Albert H. 
 Wendt, Newport, Ky., messenger. 
 
 It is a noticeable fact that in recent years the greatest improve- 
 ment in military weapons has been due to American inventors, but 
 that the advantage of the inventions has been chiefly developed 
 by foreign nations from the want of funds for carrying out public 
 experiments in this country. This is true of powder, shot, cannon, 
 machine guns and small arms; and many things of American inven- 
 tion, now used in our service, have been re-im])orted. Witness : 
 Rodman's perforated cake i)owder; the slotted l)reech screw for large 
 guns, etc. 
 
 In regard to fire arms, the very remarkable point is illustrated 
 that the earliest arms made were breech-loaders, and that all nations 
 have returned to this principle after long abandonment of it and use 
 of muzzle loaders. The collection of carbines and rifles comprises 
 nearly 150 varieties. It is shown that some very early forms were 
 breech-loaders, but that it was only by the American invention of 
 metallic shell ammunition that breech loaders, now general, became 
 efficient. Magazine guns were also made practicable by the above 
 improvement in cartridges, and the first effective gun of this class, 
 the Spencer used in the War of the Rebellion, was an American 
 invention. The more recent forms of magazine gun adopted by 
 foreign powers — those fitted with detachable magazines, or with 
 fixed magazines made to fill rapidly by prepared packages — also owe 
 their inception to American inventors. In machine guns the influ- 
 
EXPLANATORY REMARKS. 
 
 ence of American invention is very prominent, and automatic recoil 
 guns were invented here, though develojjed abroad. 
 
 The history of small fire-arms shows a decrease of calibre from 
 70-iooths of an inch to 291.4, but in big guns the opposite tendency 
 is noticed. Our heaviest rifle shot weighs 800 pounds, while Krupp 
 is making for Germany a gun to throw a projectile weighing 3,300 
 pounds. The frontispiece view of the exhibit shows the remarkable 
 contrast in size of shot. 
 
 In preparing this catalogue, great assistance has been derived 
 from th# excellent catalogue, made by Captain Henry Metcalfe, 
 Ordnance Department U. S. A., of the Ordnance Exhibit at the 
 Philadelphia Centennial of 1876; and the descriptions of many of 
 the instruments, and of most of the earlier cannon, machine guns, 
 and small arms, have been condensed from those given there. The 
 order of arrangement has been changed, however, particularly by 
 classifying the repeating arms together, and grouping the true mag- 
 azine guns according to the form and position of the magazine. 
 
 The plates of the Mauser magazine gun, verified from the gun 
 itself, together with much of the information regarding foreign tests 
 of the new small calibre cartridges, have been taken from the " In- 
 formation Series," published by the Office of Naval Intelligence at 
 Washington, there being no corresponding office in the War De- 
 partment. 
 
 Lieut. E. S. Benton, 3d Artillery, Assistant, has charge of the 
 transportation department, receiving and shipping stores. 
 
 A. H. Russell, Captain oj Ordnance U. S. A? my, 
 
 Represefitative of the War Department. 
 
CANNON, ARMOR, AND TORPEDOES. 
 
 Field guns are the largest shown in the Exhibit, but by means 
 of models and projectiles, the collection serves to indicate the pro- 
 gress made in the construction of cannon from the earliest forms — 
 breech loading smooth bore guns of light weight, of date of the 14th 
 century — to the largest Krupp rifle guns of to-day. The forms of 
 field gun carriage illustrate the progression of construction from the 
 Gribeauval system, used in the Napoleonic Wars, and the stock 
 trail system (wooden carriage) used during the Rebellion, to the 
 steel gun carriage now used. Illustrations are also given of the 
 revolving turrets and depressing gun carriages now deemed neces- 
 sary in many positions for heavy guns, and of torpedoes for addi- 
 tional defense. 
 
 EARLY CANNON. 
 
 1. Chinese Cannon, Bronze. 
 
 This gun was captured from the Coreans, June 10-11, 1871, by the U. S. 
 Naval Squadron, commanded by Rear Admiral John Rodger.s, U. S. Navy. 
 Presented to the Museum of the Artillery School, TT. S. Army, by Major W. 
 F. Randolph, Third Artillery. It is a .short breech-loading wall-piece, two 
 inches in calibre. The piece bears an inscription in Chinese characters. A 
 translation made by the Chinese Minister shows that the piece was manufac- 
 tured in 1312. The charge was contained in a hollow block, with a handle at 
 the top, by which it was placed in position. This breech-block had projec- 
 tions at the lower part of the rear end, and these, with the assistance of a key 
 driven above them, through mortises in the side of the breech, held the block 
 in place for firing. The guns of that period in Europe were made of wrought 
 iron, like the next gun described, and cast guns were unknown. This gun, 
 with other articles mentioned below, was contributed to the exhibit from the 
 Artillery School, through the courtesy of Brevet Brigadier-General J. C. Tid- 
 ball, commanding Fort Monroe. 
 
 2. Old Breech Loading Gun, 4-poiinder. 
 
 Brought up by a dredging machine, from the bed of the Hudson river, 
 at Albany, in 1879. Though the date of the manufacture of this piece is not 
 known, its form is precisely that of the earliest English cannon of the 
 
 V/- 
 
 V 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 fourtecntl\ ^.t-jitinv^-, yml jt (loubtless dates back to that time. It is made of 
 w:ouf;h't ir/lii; wiOi /.toj't'i'jing bands around the barrel. It has a short handle 
 •yteiuliiip to ih« rwii- ^il.ih tlie cascabel. The bore runs from a calibre of two 
 inclics at the breerh to four inches at the muzzle. The exterior increases in 
 diameter towards the muzzle, but the iron is so badly rusted that the original 
 dimensions can hardly be determined. The breech-closing arrangements 
 were practically the same as in the Chinese gun described above. This gun. 
 with many other articles mentioned behjw, was sent from the Museum at 
 Governor's Island, through the courtesy of Major-General J. M. Schofield, 
 President of tlie Military Service Institution, and Bvt. Brig. Gen. T. F. 
 Uodciiliongh, Secretary. 
 
 TROPHY CANNON OF THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 3. Revolulionary Gun and Carriafie. 
 
 Heavy twelve-|)ounder, bronze gun, muzzle loading; mounted on a 
 (iribeauval carriage; captured from the British in the Kevolutionary War, at 
 the battle of Saratoga, October 17, 1777. From Governor's Island. 
 
 4. Bronze Gun ; calibre, three inches; English. 
 
 Captured at Saratoga. From West Point. 
 
 "). Two Bronze Guns of same pattern; English. 
 
 Cai)tured at Saratoga; one bent in chase to render it useless. 
 
 From Alleghany Arsenal. 
 
 0. Three Coehorn Mortars, Bronze. 
 
 Two of 4:^4 and one of 5% inches calibre. Surrendered by British at battle 
 of Saratoga. Coehorn mortars are light pieces, which can be readily carried 
 for use in the trenches during siege operations. The 24-pounder Coehorn 
 mortar of our service could be transported by two men, and it was particularly 
 useful on account of its plunging fire for shelling points protected l)y em- 
 bankments. From West Point. 
 
 7. Two Ooeiiorn Mortars, 4f inches calibre. 
 
 Cajiturod from British at Stony Point. 
 
 8. Two I)roii/e Boat Howitzers, ■24-i)()un(lcr; English. 
 
 Place of capture unknown. From Alleghany Arsenal. 
 
 9. Bronze Gun, G-pounder; English. 
 
 Made in 17()1. Bearing inscription, "Surrendered by Cornwallis at 
 capitulation of Yorktown, October 19, 1781." It is called the Ligonier gun, 
 because it bears the initial of Ligonier, an Ejiglish field marshal, who was 
 Master of Ordnance at the time it was made. Length, four feet ten inches. 
 Weight, 64G pounds. From Fort Monroe. 
 
 10. Bronze Howitzer, "24 jxtunder; English. 
 Surrendered by Cornwallis at Yorktown, October 19, 1781. 
 
War Dcpmimcut Exhibit. 
 
 11. Bronze Howitzer, 8 inches calibre; American. 
 
 Made by I). King, Phihuk'lpliia, 170.]. From Alk-ghaiiy Ar.senal. 
 
 12. Tliree Bronze Howitzers, 2^ incites calibre; American. 
 
 Two ix'aviii.t;- inscription, " D. Kin.t;-, Gerniantown." From Wi'sl Point. 
 
 13. Wall Howitzer, 4-pounder, cast iron, very old. 
 
 Fort Marion, 8t. Augustine, Florida. From (iovernor's Island. 
 
 14. Old Spanish Piece, wroujiiht-iron, 4-i)<)under. 
 
 Used at the siege of the Ahimo in 1830. Buried by the Mexicans on the 
 evacuation of tlie phxce after the battle of San Jacinto, and found by workmen 
 while digging a cellar. 
 
 MEXICAN TROPHY CANNON. 
 
 15. Mexican Cannon, 8-pounder. 
 
 Muzzle indented by cannon ball. Captured at the battle of Monterey, 
 September 23. l.S-tC. From West Point. 
 
 16. Mexican Howitzer, 4-pounder. 
 
 Captured at the battle of Monterey, September 23, 1846. 
 
 U. S. MUZZLE LOADERS. , 
 
 17. Old Ship (iun, cast iron. 
 
 Fitted with rings for carrying. 
 
 18. U. S. 12-pounder Field Gun and 24-pounder Howitzer. 
 
 Model with carriage and limber. This illustrates the stock trail .system 
 of wooden gun carriage, used during the war of the Rebellion. The 12-pounder 
 gun here referred to was adopted in 1856, and modeled after the gun designed 
 by Napoleon III. to take' the place of the variety of calibres used before in the 
 French field service. It was used more extensively than any other field gun 
 during the war of the Eebellion, and it was i)articularly effective where the 
 character of the country required the fighting to be carried on at short range. 
 Weight of gun, 1,226 pounds; weight of shot, 12 pounds; weight of charge, 
 2K pounds; velocity, 1,495 feet per second; extreme range, 2,090 yards; 
 elevation 10 degrees; weight of carriage, 1,175 pounds; contents of chest, 
 packed: .shot, fixed, 20; spherical case, 8; canister, 4; spare cartridges, 
 2; friction primers, 48; slow match, yards, 1.5; port-fire, 2. 
 
 From Governor's Island. 
 
 19. Three-inch Wrouiiht-Iron Muzzle-Loading Rifle. 
 
 Represented only by its projectile. This gun was used extensively during 
 the war, and was one of the earliest of modern wrought-iron guns. (Jun 
 made at Phcenixville, Pa., by wrapping boiler-plate around an iron bar, so 
 as to form a cjiindrical mass. Tiie whole is brought to welding heat in a 
 furnace, and then ))assed between rollers to unite the bar and layers solidly 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 toycllier. Tlie trunnions are then wcMod on, and tlio pieie is finished to the 
 proper size. Tlie bar forniinp the core is hi rjie enough to leave some metal 
 outside thelu.re. and add longitudinal strength to the gun. The projectile 
 liere shdwn is a 10 pounder shell, lired. it has the Eureka saijot at the ba.se to 
 take the rilling and give rotation. This sahot is a soft metal cup placed on 
 the ha.se, concave side to the rear, fitted with a ring-lij) projecting forward 
 over the sides of the i.rujectile, which is beveled 'iff to re('eive it. The gas 
 pressure flattens the cui», jiressing the lij) forward and outward into the rifiing. 
 With large shell ditliculty has been experienced from weakness at the base 
 where the sabot is fastened by an a.xial screw. The fuze plug is fitted with 
 the Laidley igniter (see fuzes) for starting the paper time-fuze. 
 
 Shot loaned by Col. J. W. Abert, formerly of Corps of Engineers, U. S. 
 A., now living in Newport. Ky. 
 
 20. M(m1.'1 of l:; iiirh Cast Iron Mortnr. and Bed. 
 
 21. Model ol' lo-iuch Mortar. 
 
 A center pintle chassis replaces the old wooden platforn\ iirotected by 
 iron i)lates formerly used with this mortar, and this saves much time in point- 
 ing. 15y means of the eccentric axle at the center of the chassis the weight 
 is thrown on the traversing wheels while pointing. Ik-fore firing, the chassis is 
 thrown out of gear. Weight, 17,120 pounds; weight of shell, 200 pounds; 
 weight of ma.ximum charge, 20 pounds; extreme length. 54 inches; length 
 of bore, 2.7 calibre; range, 45 degrees elevation, maximum charge, 4,200 
 yards; time of fiighi, .SO'i. seconds; weight of chassis, 2,000 pounds; length 
 of rail, I!K) inches. The mortar can be elevated and depressed, either by a 
 single handspike working in the ratchet.s cut in the breech, or by two hand 
 spikes fitted on to the arms attached to the trunnions. 
 
 l'"rom Ordnance Office. 
 
 22. Model ol' 2UU pouiulei' i'arj-ott Jiiile. 
 
 This was made from jiieces of the metal used in making the guns of 
 Hie first Monitor. This is a cast-iron gun, re-enforced by a coiled wrought- 
 iron jacket, shrunk on over the seat of the charge; 10,20,30, 1(X), 200 and 
 300 pounder I'arrott rifies were used during the war of the Rebellion. The 
 larger calibres were cast hollow on the Rodman i)rinciple. Though never 
 adopted as a jiart of the system of our artillery, they were largely used. 
 They were the first high-power riMed guns used extensively in war, and they 
 attained a range of over five miles. They are interesting as early examples of 
 guns formed of two metals. Tlie larger calibres had but short life. The brass 
 base-ring of the jirojectile for giving rotation by exjiansion into the rilling was 
 liable to striji and tear olT. 
 
 Moilcl presented by Mr. Howard S. Winslow, Cincinnati. 
 
 23. Cast Iron Killes, 12 and 12.25 iivdi calibre. 
 
 Lined with a tube of steel or coiled wrought iron. These large calibre 
 breech-loading guns are rein-e.sented by a Butler shot, weighing 700 lbs. 
 for a I2.2iVincli gun. The Butler shot, invented by Captain J. G. But- 
 ler, Ordnance Dci.artmcnt, has for sabot a soft metal ring screwed 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 on tlie base, the ring having a groove in the rear surfaces, forming a narrow- 
 lip on the outer edge, and a wider one on tlie inner. Tlie powder 
 gases acting 07i tlie outer lip force it out into the rifling to give rotation to 
 the shot, and check the flow of gas past the shot, at the same time tending 
 to press the inner lip more firndy on the shot, and prevent stripping of the 
 sabot. It was the first base sabot fully answering the conditions for muz- 
 zle-loading rifles of large calibre, as all others proposed before had w'orked 
 irregularly, resulting in great variation of the powder pressures in the gun. 
 
 Americans have taken the lead in inventions for giving rotation to a shot 
 in muzzle-loaders by means of sabots. The English used studded projectiles 
 (rej^resented in the exhibit by an Armstrong 8K-inch shell), and long after 
 the sabot had been used, the U. S. adopted a sabot merely as gas check 
 in addition to the studs, fiiKillj^ abandoning the studs and relying on the 
 sabot alone. The Eureka sabot descrilied before is another form sometimes 
 used with large guns. 
 
 Muzzle-loading rifle guns of large calibre have been made in large num- 
 bers in our service, by conversion from smooth bores of larger calibre, the 
 old gun being bored out and lined with a tube of steel or coiled wrought 
 iron. jMany of these guns are now in service, notably 8-inch rifles converted 
 from 10-inch Rodman guns. Though extremely useful within certain 
 limits, the bore is too sliort to give the best etrect demanded from guns of 
 that calibre. 
 
 24. Model ol 12-incli Cast-iron Rifle. 
 
 Mounted on Barbette Carriage. The upper carriage has two sets of 
 wheels, front and rear, placed between the plates composing the cheeks of 
 the carriage. The carriage starts in its recoil on sliding friction, and, after 
 a distance of about one foot, finishes the remainder of its recoil on rolling 
 friction, the rollers moving up wedge-shaped pieces, which form steeper in- 
 clines toward the rear of the chassis. The gun is caught at the end of its 
 recoil by couplings, and spring butters at the rear and front of the chassis 
 relieve the shock if the top carriage strikes. The gun is loaded when drawn 
 back, and when released runs promptly forward "into battery." The ordinary 
 crane and differential pulley are used for loading. The muzzle of the gun 
 is raised and lowered by means of two circular racks, fastened to the breech, 
 and moved by cog-wheels on the carriage. Steps and rails are placed about 
 the carriage, so as to make easy access to all parts. The points of special 
 interest in this carriage are the arrangements for checking recoil. This is 
 accomplished by means of a hydraulic buffer, 9 inches in exterior diameter, 
 and long enough to secure a recoil of seven feet. The effect of the force of 
 discharge, comnuinicated to the chassis through the butter, is borne by the 
 pintle in front, and Ijy two sets of grooved wheels attached to forks sup- 
 porting the rear end, thus distributing the strain over the entire extent of the 
 foundations. The hydraulic buffer is composed of a strong cylinder, partly 
 filled with glycerine and water, and attached at the front of the chassis, 
 between the rails. A i)iston-rod projects from the rear, the outer end of the 
 rod being attached to a fork, extending downward from the rear of the 
 top carriage. Perforations in the piston head allow the flow of liquid as the 
 pistoii is drawn out during recoil, or pushed in by running the gun for- 
 ward. The resistance to rapid flow checks the recoil, and allows the use 
 
PFar Department Exhibit. 
 
 of a shorter t-liassis than without the hnffer. It transmits the force 
 to the ehassis, hut in a comparatively jrradual manner without severe 
 ^^iiuck. 
 
 In the Kn-h?^li Vavasseur ea.rriai,'C. two cylintlers are used, lilled with 
 ii.|ui<l, an<l arranged so tiiat the piston of one is hcing drawn out while 
 that of the other is heinp pushed in, connection hetween the cylinders 
 allowiuf; compensation of the amounts of water in each. The piston- 
 heads are composeil of two jiarts. hoth perforated, one fixed to the rod 
 and one turiiiufj on it, the motion heintr controlled hy a i)rojection on the 
 circumference working; in a sj.iral f.'roovc on the inner surface of its 
 cylinder. This nu)tion is so adjusted as to progressively close the openings 
 and graduate the resistance of the licpiid in its flow to the decreasing ve- 
 locity of recod as the gun runs hack. (See Report of Chief of Ordnance 
 for '77 and 'S(i. Report of Board on Fortifications and other Defenses, 
 18.S.5.) 
 
 The doul)K' jiiston-hcad here descrihed is of American invention. 
 
 A device used on the carriage for the l(Xt-ton cast-iron Italian gun, ac- 
 complishes this graduation of resistance without douhle piston-heads by 
 means of wedge-shaped bars, fixe<l longitudinally on the inner surface of the 
 cylinder. Slots on the outer edge of the inston-head run along these bars, 
 which fill the openings more and more as the recoil progresses. A varia- 
 tion of this principle has tapering rods, with round holes in the piston- 
 head, proilucing the same efToct. 
 
 MODERN BREECH-LOADERS. 
 '2.1. Williams' Breech-Loadiiiii- Ritie; calibre, 1.56 inches. 
 
 'I'liis corresjionds to the class of (juick-loaders, now exemplified by the 
 Ilotchkiss rapid firing guns, the latter, however, liaving the great advantage 
 of using self-primed metallic-case ammunition, to which the Williams gun 
 might readily he adapted for use with moderate calibres. The Williams 
 gini has a hreech-hlock moving back and forth in the line of the barrel. It 
 is oi)crated by turning a crank on the right side. Upon the crank shaft, 
 which is perpendicular to the axis of the bore, is an eccentric which alter- 
 nately withdraws and pushes in the breech-block to open and close the 
 breech. A worm at the end of the shaft works on the end of the lever at the 
 leftside of the piece, the lever having a hammer at the other end. When the 
 end of the worm is reached, the hammer thus raised is released and forced by 
 a spring against a nipple on which a percussion cap is placed. The mechan- 
 ism is so arranged that just after the breech-block is closed the hammer falls 
 and fires the itiece. The l)reecb-block is supported against the shock of the 
 discharge by the eccentric, which transfers the strain to the shaft upon which 
 it revolves. Tlie gas check used in the Williams gun strongly resembles 
 the Freyre gas check used in the new U.S. breech-loading field-gun described 
 hereafter. " The inventor, Mr. D. R. Williams, of Covington, Ky., took the 
 gun South at the beginning of the Rebellion, and it was adopted by the Con- 
 federate (Government. Some of the batteries are said to have done much 
 execution. The inventor claims to have fired sixty-five shots per minute. 
 
 From West Toint. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 26. Model of Breech- Action of Siitcliff Gun. 
 
 Disk-shaped breech-biock, supported by a pin attached to tlic front end 
 of hollow-breech-screw, by the half revolution of whicli the block is lowered 
 into a mortise in the body of the gun, and the chamber ex]>osed. On closing, 
 the screw sets up firmly against the block, and transmits the strain to the 
 walls of the breech. 
 
 27. Knipp Breech-Loading Steel RiHe ; calibre, 3.65. 
 
 This gun has the earlier form of breech-block, made in two wcdgc-shapc 
 parts, the whole lilock sliding at right angles to the axis of the bore 
 in sockets in the breech. When the block is run in, turning a- screw 
 at its end forces the two wedges together and tigiitly closes the breech, the 
 reverse action loosening the block and allowing it to lie drawn out. The 
 gas check is a copper ring of triangular section, fitting in a socket in tiie 
 block and expanding luider the powder pressure to completely close the 
 crack which may be left between the face of the block and the end of the 
 barrel. From Ordnance Proving Ground, Sandy Hook. 
 
 28. Hotchkiss Breech-Loading' Steel Mountain Iville. 
 
 Oalibre, l.On inches. This has a hreci-b-block sliding atright angles to the 
 axis of the bore, after the manner of the later Krupp guns. It is locked, 
 when closed, by a sectional screw within the block. Used in ojierations in 
 a very rough, mountainous covuitry, im])assable to wheeled vehicles, as it 
 can be packed on mule back or carried by two men. Calibre, 1.65; number of 
 grooves, 12; depth, .075 inch ; width, .30; weight of gun, 110 pounds ; charge 
 of powder, 269.5 grains*; weight of shot, about two pounds. Mounted on 
 steel carriage, to which shafts can be attached for hauling by one animal. 
 The powder is contained in a metallic cartridge case, either of wrapped 
 metal or with a soldered joint. Through the center of the iron head 
 of tliis case is a flame hole, closed by an internal valve, which is lifted by 
 the Hame from the friction primer, but is closed by the pressure of the gas 
 within the Inire when the cartridge is fired. A wide band of thin ])rass en- 
 circles the projectile, and this is forced into the rifling to give rotation. 
 Abijve the breech-block, in the liody of the gun, is a sliding extractor, 
 worked by an oljlique groove in the upper surface of the breech-block, in 
 which a stud on the lower surface of the extractor is engaged. Captain Frank 
 D. Baldwin, Fifth United States Infantry, has devised an ingenious carriage 
 for this gun. It is fashioned somewhat like a mortar bed, with cheek pieces, 
 but no chassis. The lower parts of the cheeks can be turned outward, swing- 
 ing on a horizontal hinge, to fit on an aparejo, so that gun and carriage can 
 be packed together on a mule for transportation. 
 
 29. New Breech Loading Field Gun, U. S. Steel. 
 
 Calibre, 3.2 inches. This gun is biult up witli a central tul>e, S5.2 incln's 
 long, varying in exterior diameter from 6 inches to 4.0 inches near the muzzle ; 
 and a jacket, length 25.9 inches, maximum diameter 9.56 inches, which 
 is shrunk over the rear part of the tu1)e, a shoulder on which prevents the 
 jacket from working forward. The rear end of the tube abuts against a 
 
8 War DepafimeTii Exhibit. 
 
 base ring, screwed inside of tlie jacket, which projects bej'ond the tube 
 at the rear. The Frencii, or "slotted screw," breech-block, works in this 
 base riiiK. In fn)nt of the jacket, and bound to it by an overlapping locking 
 joint, is tlie trunninn hooj) shrunk on to the tube. Its width between rim 
 ba.ses is !».r) inches, and its length S..S indies. In front of the trunnion-hoop, 
 and iK'uring close against it, is the " sleeve," shrunk on to the tube— ma.xinnim 
 diameter, ().« inches; minimnm, (i.d inches ; length, 13.3 inches— and in front 
 of that is the key-ring, which is screwed on to the tube, and set firmly against 
 the sleeve diameter of key ring, (i.5 iiu-hes ; length, 3 inches. In front of 
 that the tube is unsupported for a length of -S-S.T inches to the muzzle. All 
 the parts are thus bnunil securely together by shoulders and screw-threads, 
 in a maimer which j.re.sents no greater ditHculty of construction than the 
 shrinkage of i)lain, superposed cylinders usually offers. 
 
 The powder chamber is elliptical; the .shot chamber, composed of two 
 inclines and a straight surface, furnishes a place for the copper band at the 
 rear end of the shot to rest, the forward end of the shot extending into the 
 groove part of the bore, the iian<l liringing uj) against the lands, which are 
 beveled at their rear termination. The vent is radial, over the middle of the 
 chamber. 
 
 The ritiing is uniform, with a twist of one turn in thirty calil)res, or an' 
 angle of si.\ degrees. There are twenty-four grooves and lands. The total 
 length of the i>iece is iW.7 inches; weight, S03 pounds; jireponderance at end 
 of breech, 57 pounds. 
 
 liirirli Mirhnii 1.11)1. ~T\\v breech-block, 0.4.5 inches long, by 4.47 inches 
 in diameter, is threaded and slotted, three sections being plain and three 
 with threads. The iiase ring in which it works is threaded and slotted cor- 
 respondingly. One sixth of a turn, therefore, serves to lock or iiiiluik the 
 block when in its i)hKe. 
 
 Th(> last or rearmost thread on the block is not cut away, and this serves 
 the puri>ose of closing the rear face of the breech against dirt and wet, and 
 acts as a stop for the block when it is })resscd into place. The block is held 
 in a swinging carrier ring, 1.2 inches thick, hinged at the left side, which 
 allows the block to be swung to the left when drawn out, and guides the 
 block in entering the breech on dosing, allowing the block to be freely 
 turned. It serves, when closed, to fill the space between the jacket atid the 
 block. This ring is autonmtically locked to, and unlocked, bj' the motion 
 of the block acting on a key-pin. The lever handle for turning the block,^ 
 anil the bronze handle for witlulrawing it, are fastened to its rear end. Most 
 of the guns thus far nuide have been provided with the Frej're (Si)anisli) 
 gas check, which was found to be effective in the experimental gun; but the 
 length of space in rear of the chamber allows the use of the Dc Bange (F'rench) 
 gas check, which is equally effective, and this is to be used in some of the guns. 
 
 The Fni/rt obturator, or gas check, placed in front of the breech-block, 
 terminates in a head shaped like a truncated cone, small end towards the 
 rear. A gas check ring of highly elastic steel, formed to (it the cone surface 
 on the insid<', but nearly cylindrical on the outside, surrounds this head ami 
 rests against the breech-block. The head is not in contact with the bldck, 
 but nearly so, and the distance can be increased or diminished by the nuts 
 screwed on to the rear cml of a spindle which passes through the center of 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 the breech-})lock. A strong spring intervenes to keeiJ the head away from 
 the face of the block, except when the great pressure of the powder gases 
 presses it home, expanding the ehistic ring against the walls of the powder 
 chamber, and effectually cutting otf all escape of gas. 
 
 When the pressure is removed the spring forces the head forward and 
 the ring is allowed to contract. The expansion of the gas-check can thus 
 l)e regulated to suit the character of the steel in the gas-check ring. 
 
 The Freyre gas-check closely resembles that used in the Williams gun 
 above described. The latter differed only in having a split ring instead of 
 a continuous ring, the conical rear surface of the head acting iii the same 
 manner to expand tiie ring. The Freyre system may therefore be considered 
 an American invention, as is the case with the slotted screw l)reech-block 
 itself. 
 
 The I)c Ba»ffc (jns-clin-k referred to works as follows: A breech-screw 
 with an interrupted thread is used as described above. This is traversed 
 in tlie direction of its axis by a spindle terminating in a head shaped like 
 a mushroom. The head receives the pressure of the powder gases, and it 
 is supported by a plastic ring surrounding the spindle and interposed between 
 the head and the face of the breech-screw. This ring is composed of asbestos 
 and tallow, contained in an envelope of cloth and sustained by two cni>-shaped 
 copi)er rings. Tlie pressure of the head forces it out laterally against the walls 
 of the gun chamber, so preventing the escape of gas. 
 
 The record of the gun is as follows: Initial velocity of projectile, 1.635 
 feet; extreme range, about .S>^' miles ; charge of powder, 3^ to 3% pounds; 
 weight of shell, 13 pounds; pressure of powder gases m gun, 29,116 pounds 
 per square inch. The Hotchkiss base fuze, described under head of fuzes, 
 is vised with the shell. The steel forgings for these guns were made at the 
 Midvale Works, PJnladelphia. The parts were finished and assembled for the 
 first five guns at Watertown Arsenal, Mass. ; for twenty made later, at the 
 West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, N. Y. Future work of this kind will be 
 done in the new gun shops at Watervliet Arsenal, West Troy, N. Y. 
 
 From West Point. 
 
 30. Buffington Field-Giin Carriage. 
 
 Tlia carriage for the gun above described, and on which it is mounted, is 
 made of steel. The principal parts are the two flasks, connected by tran- 
 soms, and the lunette ; the two axle-plates, upper and lower ; the axle-tree ; 
 the wheel-brakes ; the wheels ; the elevating apparatus, and the seats and 
 steps. Each flask is formed by riveting together two plates with curved 
 margins. The cross-section of the margin from the vicinity of the trunnion- 
 beds to the tool-box is approximately semi-circular, the center of the semi- 
 circle being in the plane of the inner surface of the plate. The cross section 
 varies for the inner and outer plates, as the margin of the latter is prolonged 
 in a direction tangent to the circle until it envelops the margin of the former 
 for a portion of its length. The formation of this curved margin by a single 
 stroke illustrates a remarkable use by Col. Buffington of the drop-hammer for 
 very heavy work. Two large cast-iron dies are used, shaped to give the outer 
 and inner curves required. The plate, cut to proper shape and heated, is 
 placed on one die, and the other is dropped upon it by means of a steam 
 hammer. 
 
lo JVar Department Exhibit. 
 
 Tlie truimioii-l>e(li^ arc- n-inforced liy bars of steel, which are inclosed be- 
 tw.-L-a the iiiarf,'ins of the Hask plates and riveted to tlieni. There are three 
 front transoms, npi-er, lower, and rear, in the vicinity of the trunnion-l)eds 
 an.l axli-i>iates. and three trail transoms at intervals between the axle-phites 
 and the lunette. The axle-plates, two in number, which envelop the axle-tree. 
 are made from plates formed by dies under a steam hammer. To in.sure 
 an accurate tit, these plates are planed, bolted tofiether. and bored out. 
 The axle-tree havinj.' been turneil to a true cylinder, the plates are riveted 
 abtiut it. The shouhler washers are oetafjonal in form; to each is (itt d a 
 collar or iumd contuiniuK a stout eye. to which the brakes arc attached. 
 These collars have projections that embrace the axle-plates above and below, 
 to prevent turning,' of the axle within the plates. The )»rakes supplied with 
 this carriaj^'c were formed like a double-bo.v ; priiifj. and furnished with a 
 device for detachinj,' them if necessary, when the wheel is locked. The axle- 
 seals are mounted on Hat si)rin<,'s and jirovided witli .steps. The elevating 
 ai)paratus is that which was used with the carriage constructed at Water- 
 vleit Arsenal. The elevating screw guide is secured to the under side of the 
 upper front transom. A later form, introduced liy Col. Buttington, gives the 
 elevation by means of lazy tongs operated by a vertical screw. This form 
 does not require any i)rojection below the carriage, and the carriage is .so con- 
 structed in other respects as to leave a clear space below the level of the 
 axles, to pa.ss over obstrutrtions without touching. The total weight of the 
 carriage complete, including steps, wheels, and brakes, is l.aOl lbs. 
 
 Thv liiiihrrwUl have a steel body with wooden amnmnition chest, opening 
 at the toj) like the present ammunition chests, steel chests opening in rear be- 
 ing found by experiment to be midesirable. The inside dimensions of cliest 
 are: Length, 42'K inches ; width, 21 inches; depth, inches. It is divided 
 into three compartments, the end ones 10 inches wide, for 21 projectiles in 
 each, the middle one for cartridges 42 in nuuibcr. Projectiles stand on their 
 bases, in s<iuare compartments, separated by coi)per iilates. The points of 
 the in-ojectiles are held in place by the cover when closed. A chest lilled 
 with dummy projectiles and cartridges is shown with the gun and carriage. 
 
 Till- cdissoii body will l)e of steel, and will serve for the traveling forge, the 
 chests for the forge being of same dimensions as the anununition chest. 
 
 ,1 po/7(////>' /'/(Y/r, made of dimensions to lit in this box, is shown in tlic 
 exhibit in connection with the gun and carriage. Instead of tu'llows a 
 blower is used, (ii)erated liy a crnidc. ("arringe from Natiunal .\rniiiiy. 
 
 ol. Five-inch Steel I5reec]i I.oiidiiii:- Sieiic (Jnn. e.xperi- 
 
 lueiital. 
 
 This is represented by its shot, cast-iron, weighing 4:5 pounds. Tlic gun is 
 built up after the manner of the ;i. 2-inch held gun. The whole length of the 
 gini is 14.'i..'V) inches; weight, M.OiiO pounds ; ])re[)onderani'e at eml of breech, 
 27o,V2 pounds; rifling tuiiform ; twist, 1 turn in :^5 calibres, angle 5 (leg., 9 
 nun.; nundter of grooves and lands. .12. I'lic powder chamber is cylindri- 
 cal, terminated in front by a curved surface. The shot chamber, composed 
 of a cylindrical and a conical surface. The vent is axial, through the obtu- 
 rator sjiindle. The French breech-screw is used, witli the DelJange obturator 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 descriliecl under steel field gun. The powder charge is 12^/^ i)Ounds ; velocity ob- 
 tained, 1815 feet per sectmd. Tlie projectile, like that for the 8.2-inch ritle, has 
 a copper band set in a groove cut near the base to give rotation, this band be- 
 ing forced into the grooves in firing. This gun is intended to replace the. 
 434-inch muzzle-loading cast-iron siege rifie of the service. The new gun is 
 mounted on a steel carriage designed by Capt. Chas. Shaler, Ordnance 
 Dept., U. S. A. Shot received from Ordnance Proving Ground. 
 
 32. Eiij;ht-inch Breech- Loading Steel Kitie. 
 
 This is represented l)y its cast-iron cored shot, weighing 285 pounds. 
 Thf gun is built up after the manner of the 3.2-inch, and the 5-inch 
 B. L. Steel Rifles before explained. (See 30-31 above). The gun is 30 cal- 
 ibres, 20 feet long, and weighs 13 tons. It fires a projectile weigh- 
 ing 285 pounds with a chai-ge of 100 pounds of slow-burning powder. 
 The rifling has an increasing twist, beginning with one turn in 70 calibres 
 at the origin, and increasing to one turn in 25 calibres, 16 inches from the 
 muzzle, and thence a uniform twist, with the same pitch, to the muzzle. 
 The number of grooves and lands is 45; width of grooves, 0.39; lands, 0.17. 
 The volume of the powder chamber is 3,107 cubic inches. The French 
 lireech-block is used, swinging to the right in opening. It has the DeBange 
 gas check (see 30). The vent is axial, through the obturator spindle, as in 
 the 5-inch rifle, diameter of vent, 0.2. The forward end is bushed with cop- 
 per, and tapering to a diameter of 0.1 at the orifice. At first the ordinary 
 primer was used, but it is now fitted to use the obturating primer, either 
 friction or electric. The steel tube for this gun was made abroad. 
 
 In firing this gun the new brown prismatic powder, made by Messrs. 
 Du Pont, has been used, and trials have also been made with increased 
 charges of German brown poM'der. With a charge of 110 pounds, a muzzle 
 velocity of 1,878 feet per second is obtained, with a pressure in the chamber 
 of .36,000 pounds to the square inch. The carriage used with this gun is 
 the 10-inch proof-carriage, recently constructed at the West Point Foundry; 
 it is adapted to the 8-inch gun by the insertion of the steel trunnion rings, 
 which rest in the trvinuion beds. The projectile has a copper band set in a 
 groove, cut near the Ijase, to give rotation ; this band being forced into the 
 grooves in firing. The gun has been fired over 1,000 rounds with no trace of 
 erosion of bore by the powder gases. The ballistic results from this gun, that 
 is, the energy developed in the projectile, exceed the published results with 
 any gun of like calibre extant. (See appendixes Nos. 17 and 20. Report 
 Chief of Ordnance, 1886, and Report for 1887.) 
 
 33. The 12-ineh Cast-iron Breech-Loading Rifle. 
 
 This is represented by its cast-iron cored shot, weighing 800 pounds. The 
 gun is made of cast-iron, with a breech bushing of steel, and it is provided 
 with the interrupted screw fermeture. The exterior outline conforms close! j' 
 to the Rodman model. The weight of the gun complete is 54 tons. The 
 projectile has a copper band similar to those previousl.y described. (See 
 30-1-2.) The powder charge is 265 pounds of brown prismatic powder. The 
 total length of gun is 30 feet. Tlie rifling is polygroove, with an ecpial num- 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 her of lands and grooves; the twist is first increasing, and then uniform to 
 the muzzle. The vent is axial and coincident with the axis of the spindle. 
 A vent bushing is placed in the front end of the mushroom head of the 
 spindle. Dummy cartridges are shown by the side of the shot. With 
 powder pressures less tlian 3,<X)0 pounds per square inch on an average of 
 100 rounds, erosions of the bore began at the fiftieth round, and became 
 pronounced at the ninety-sixth round. After firing 137 rounds the chamber 
 and rifle bore became so badly eroded that firing was suspended, and the 
 result.-* with a similar gun lined with steel are awaited. It is doubtless the 
 case that in the future, for the higher power guns, cast iron will be aban- 
 doned, except for emergencies requiring more rapid preparation than the 
 making of steel guns allows, but it has been of obvious utility to test the 
 possibilities of cast-iron for heavy guns. Twelve-inch rifled mortars— cast- 
 iron hooped with steel— both muzzle-loaders and breech-loaders, have been 
 made and tried with great success. 
 
 COMPARISON WITH LARGEST EUROPEAN GUNS. 
 The largest United States Rifle Shot— weighing 800 pounds— is placed in 
 the exhibit in a group containing models of the projectiles for the 100-ton 
 Italian guns, the 110-ton English gun, and the 150-ton gun now building by 
 Krupp, the latter projectile, six feet high, weighing 3,.300 pounds. The group 
 brings out with striking distinctness the needs of the United States in the 
 development of the manufacture of steel, which is now alone used in making 
 the heaviest guns. Even the 8-inch and 12-inch guns, made for the U. S. 
 Army, are merely experimental, and it is onlj- just now that appropriations 
 have been made to develop the manufacture in this country of guns of such 
 comparatively light weight. The larger steel parts heretofore used in our 
 guns have had to be brought from Europe. As an illustration of these guns, 
 which carry from ten to twelve miles, an account is given of the English 
 gun, the most i>owerful one yet completed. 
 
 34. En<rli.sh llO-ton Steel Gun, Breech-Loadiiii:;; <-alil)re, 
 16.25 inches. 
 
 Tliis gun is represented liy a wooden model of the steel jTojectile. Weight 
 of projectile, 2,240 pounds; length. 4'^ feet; muzzle velocity, 2,128 feet per 
 second, with powder charge of fKX) pounds; range, about 10 miles; mean 
 pressure in tons, per sijnare inch, 18.75; total energy at muzzle in foot tons. 
 56,520; penetration in wrought iron, 3.3.8 inches. 
 
 The llO-ton Elswick gun is intended for the armament of first-class ships 
 of war. It :s constructed entirely of steel, the inner tube being in one length. 
 Over the inner tube is shrunk the breech piece, which is surrounded by 
 three layers of comparatively thin hoops of steel. In this manner the whole 
 of the metal assists in bearing the transverse strain. The inner tube extends 
 only to the obturator, or l.i- b-biock. which engages in the breech piece. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 13 
 
 the longitudinal strain being partly borne by this piece, assisted by the 
 peculiar distrilnition of the hoops. A long hoop with stout shoulders forms 
 the rear part of the first layer, and its front shoulder engages the rear shoulder 
 of another long hoop, which forms the front part of the second layer. Again 
 the "trunnion hoop," so called, is shrunk on in such a manner as to draw 
 the long hoops of the first and second layers together. Hence, there is a direct 
 pull from tlie trunnion hoop to the shoulder on the breech piece, all parts 
 being solidly bound together against longitudinal strain. There are, in 
 reality, no trunnions, the exterior of the trunnion hoop being formed 
 with rings, over which a strong steel band passes and ties the gun to its 
 carriage. To prevent the inner tube from moving forward from the breech 
 piece, a ring of bronze alloy is run into a serrated recess at the front of tlie 
 latter. A similar ring is used to assist friction in keeping the front of the 
 trunnion hoop in place. 
 
 The principal dimensions of the gun are as follows : Total length, 524 
 inches; length of bore, 487 inches ; length of rifiing, 397 inches; diameter of 
 bore, 16.25 inches; diameter of chamber, 21.125 inches; cubical capacity of 
 chamber, 28.610 cubic inches ; weight of gun, 247,795 pounds. 
 
 Ohturator. — In the "obturator" or means of stopping the escape of gas, 
 a modification of the De Bange pad, made by Mr. Vavasseur of the Elswick 
 firm, is under trial. The asbestos pad is retained, but it is covered with 
 a thin sheath of copper, which is forced by compression on discharge of the 
 gun into close contact with the inner tube. 
 
 Carriage. — The gun is mounted on a heavy frame of steel, which forms 
 a carriage. The carriage moves backward and forward on two stout steel 
 girders, forming the slide, the ram of the recoil press passing through the 
 lower part of the carriage, and being fixed thereto. The slide-girders are 
 pivoted at the front, so that the motion of recoil is always parallel to their 
 upper surface. All the operations of working the gun are performed by hy- 
 draulic power. The elevation or depression of the gun and slide is performed 
 l.iy means of hydraulic rams under each slide-girder. Pressure is also admitted 
 to one side or other of the recoil cylinder, according as it is desired to run the 
 gun in or out. To turn the gun in a horizontal direction it is necessary to 
 rotate the platform or turret by means of hydraulic engines, acting on pinions 
 in circular racks surrounding its base. By means of hydraulic lireech 
 mechanism the breech-l)lock is unscrewed and moved aside, while the shot 
 and charge are forced into the bore or breech chamber by the hydraulic ram- 
 mer; thel)reecli-block is then similarly returned to its normal position. The 
 shot and cartridge are raised from the magazine by an hydraulic lift, so as 
 to deliver the ammtmition at the level of the loading tray, and between the 
 breech and rammer. The 900-pound charge for the 110-ton gun is composed 
 of two cartridges of prismatic form, 38 inches long by 18 inches. The first 
 cartridge or portion of the charge is closely filled with powder, but the second 
 portion is arranged with a cylindrical space* for receivings some fjuick firing 
 powder for properly igniting the whole of the charges. The total length of the 
 charge or combined cartridge is six feet four inches. Slow-burning, brown 
 prisn^atic powder is used for the charge, composed of hexagonal pebbles or 
 cubes of ai)Out lU inches in diameter. These cartridges are transi)orte<l 
 
14 
 
 Uar Depatimcnt Exhibit. 
 
 from j.hice to place, r. fj.. from the inafxazine to amiimnition lift, in a water 
 ami lire proof metallic case. 
 
 Model of sliot furnished tiirough couitesy of Major Clifton Coiuly, 
 Ordnance Department. Mo.lel of Italian ^<hot from West Point. Model of 
 Knipp sliot constructed for ilhistration. 
 
 DEPRESSING CARRIAGES AND ARMORED TURRETS 
 
 FOR PROTECTION OF GUNS. 
 M.'). DeKiissy's Counlerpoise Depressini;- Gun-Carriage. 
 
 Model. This carria^'e was devised about the year 1835, by the late Brig. 
 Oen. R. K. De Russy, Corps of Engineers. The top carriage rests in front 
 on the eccentric axle of a pair of large wheels, the rear end resting on small 
 wheels ruiniing on curved wooden braces. In the firing position the a.xle 
 is in its highest position. an<l the small wheels on the highest point of the 
 braces, the gun pointing over the parapet. As the gun recoils the wheels 
 roll hackward on cogged rails, carrying the axle to its lowest position, and 
 the truck wheels move to the bottom of the braces, the recoil being partly 
 taken uj) by a counterpoise of metallic spokes on the main wheels, oppo- 
 site the axle, and partly hy frictional appliances. The depression of the gun 
 in recoil brings it under the shelter of the parapet from direct fire of the 
 enemy, and jirotccts the gunners in loading. The gun is run into battery 
 hy a windlass and chain, the counterpoise assisting. It will be seen this 
 carriage embodies the principle which Captain Montcrieff has lately em- 
 ployed in the construction of his depressing carriages. 
 
 Property of Major W. R. King, Corps of Engineers. From West Point. 
 
 80. King's Counterpoise Depressing Gnn-Carriage. 
 
 Model. Devised by Major W. K. King, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. In 
 this carriage the chassis rails on which the top carriage rests slope downward 
 to the rear, at an angle of about eighteen degrees, so that flie top carriage 
 slides down during the i-ecoil, carrying the gun below the level of the parapet. 
 The chassis swings on a front pintle, which is made hollow. A wire rope 
 attached to the lower part of the lop carriage passes over a pulley and down 
 through the hollow pintle to a counterpoise weight in a well below the pintle. 
 The movement of the gun to tbe rear lifts this counterpoise. When the 
 gun is "'in battery" the rope draws nearly at right angles to the chassis, 
 gradually changing its angles as the piece runs back, until finally, before 
 the gun stops, it draws parallel. By this means, combined with the elasticity 
 of the counterpoise system, the shock, or very sudden motion communicated 
 to the gun and top carriage by firing, is mvich more gradually transmitted 
 to the counterpoise, the strain upon the rope being, in fact, almost constant. 
 The necessary elasticity of the counterpoise system is obtained by the rope 
 of steel wire, and Ity making the counterpoise in sections, with disks of 
 rubber lietwcen them. Cranks and endless chains at the sides of the chassis 
 furnish a means of maneuvering the gun when not firing, or when the recoil 
 or counteri)oise do not complete their work. The recoil of the gun when 
 fired carries it down tlu' inclined rails to the loading ]>osition. where it is held 
 
War Department Exhibit. 15 
 
 by friction due to its own weig'ht. When thrown "in gear," by turning the 
 hand-wheels at the side of the top carriage, the weight of the gun coming 
 upon the truck-wheels, the counterpoise overcomes the rolling friction and 
 runs the gun up to the firing position. The gun is traversed in the ordinary 
 manner, and the elevation is given l)y the hand-wheels above mentioned. 
 One advantage of this system i.s that it can be constructed from tlie 
 ordinary carriage by lowering the rear of the chassis, raising the front, and 
 slightly modifying the sha])e of the top carriage. It is suited to guns of the 
 largest calibre. 
 
 Furnished with other niddcls from WMllet's Point, tln-ougb the courtesy 
 of Major King. 
 
 37. Early forms oi" Iron Armor for l*rotection of Guns. 
 
 Two very interesting models are shown illustrating devices of General 
 J. G. Totten and GeiU'ral .Tohn Newton, Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, 
 and showing that armor for forts engaged the attention of the Engineer of- 
 ficers of our arniy long l>efoi'e anything was adopted abroad. These arc 
 shields for heavy guns, nuule up of horiz(mtal layers of wrought-iron bars, 
 each of the upper layers set a little further back than the layer beneath. 
 General Newton's device is a revolving turret, gun carriage and turret made 
 to revolve about the same center. General Totten's device is a stationary 
 shield with a revolving piece containing the embrasure, and intended for 
 guns mounted on carriages made to swing on a pivot at the muzzle end. 
 This may be regarded as a forerunner of the Krupp muzzle pivoted gun, 
 fastened to the shield by a perforated spherical block which allows the gun 
 to be pointed as desired. This system of armor was devised before practical 
 methods of making thick plates of iron or steel had been found. 
 
 Willct's Point. 
 
 38. Gruson Kevolviiiii Turret. 
 
 Model of fort for land defense. This shows one form of the modern tur- 
 rets for protection of guns. The part of turret projecting above the ground 
 is of dome shape, presenting an inclined surface to the enemy's shot, instead 
 of having vertical sides like the Ericsson Monitor turret. It rotates on a live 
 roller running on a roller path fixed to the foundation. This dome is com- 
 posed of thick plates of chilled cast iron, grooved and fastened together. 
 The very complete working model shown was sent from the office of the 
 Board of Engineers, U. S. Army, through the courtesy of its President, Gen- 
 eral Casey (now Chief of Engineers). It was presented to the Board by 
 .Tulius Von Schutz, Engineer of the Gruson works in Germany. The model 
 shows two heavy breech-loading guns in position, and machinery is provided, 
 concealed below the armor, for revolving the turret, raising and lowering the 
 guns, etc. The especial peculiarity of the gun carriage here used lies in the 
 arrangement for changing the elevation, leaving the muzzle nearly stationary, 
 and allowing the use of a very small embrasure. This is accomplished by 
 raising or lowering the guns at the trunnions, instead of simply turning them 
 about the trunnions. 
 
1 6 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 STATIONARY AND MOVABLE TORPEDOES. 
 
 As iiiiiiortiiiil acMiiioiis In tin- protection aflordcil In- lu-av}' guns, tor- 
 pi'dtx'.s art- arraiifji'd in tliis class. 
 
 oH. Slafioiiary Torpedoes lor Deleuse ol' Harbors. 
 
 Moilclsof I inoyant torpedoes shown in a large tank to illustrate method 
 ol' plaiiMf,' llieni in the water according to the system devised by General 
 II. L. Ahhott, ("or))s of Engineers, U. S. A., in wliich the torpedoes arc tired 
 fruni the shore liy means of an electric cable. They can be exploded in 
 groups of three, each group iiaving a separate connection with tlie l)attery on 
 sliore; the wire from each torpedo of any one group passes to a small box, 
 wliere they unite and pass to a larger box, and in tlie latter the wires from the 
 dirterent groui)s, though insuhited from each otlier, are formed into a single 
 cable connecting with the shore. When a vessel touches a torpedo the shock 
 causes electric connection to be made, sending a signal to the operator and 
 warning him when to explode any group l)y jiassing a strong current through 
 the wire. They can be made automatic, to explode at once. Loaded 
 with dynamite, they play an important part in our defenses where they can 
 be placed under range of the guns. Torpedoes serve as aids to other arma- 
 ment, and delay hostile ships where the high power gun can reach them, but 
 when unjjrotected by guns from the sliore the enemj^ have time to remove 
 them and jtass in safety. Note the developments made in the torpedo since the 
 war of the Rebellion, as shown by several rebel torpedoes described further 
 on. Models made by Sergeant Nulty. Engineer Battalion. 
 
 Furnished liy Major King, Willet's Point. 
 
 10. An S-iiu'li Dynamite Projectile lor the Pneumatic T)y- 
 namite Torpedo Gun is shown as the most striking ex- 
 anii)lc of movable torpedoes, others of this class moving 
 througli the water, wliile this moves through the air. 
 
 The special feature of this torpedo is the electric fuze invented by Capt. 
 Zalinski, Fifth U. S. Artillery, to whose efforts is due the success of the gun, 
 originally invented by Mr. MefTord, of Ohio. The fuze is concealed in the 
 torpedo, and it becomes active only when wet by the submergence of the tor- 
 pedo in the water. Though called a "'gun," it is not claimed that the great 
 " an- gun " from which the torpedo is thrown has the power or range of pow- 
 der guns, which will send projectiles weighing from eight hundred to thirty- 
 three hundred pounds distaiu'cs of eight to twelve miles, nor that it can re- 
 l>lace them, but that it will be a powerful adjunct in defense by affording 
 means of thrt)wing a torpedo with considerable accuracy for a mile or two. 
 
 A gun of fifteen inches calibre to throw six hundred pounds of explosive 
 gelatitu', has recently been niadc. 
 
 Kcccivcd through the courtesy of Capt. Zalinski. 
 
VOLLEY GUNS AND MACHINE GUNS. 
 
 'i'hough even in the days of matchlocks, examples are found in 
 which several guns of small calibre were attached to the same stock 
 and fired successively by the same man; the first employment of 
 guns of this class in war was that of the French Mitrailleuse, now 
 obsolete. It is illustrated in the exhibit by description and draw- 
 ings. The machine gun possesses the advantage over volley guns 
 of giving a constant succession of shots by automatic re-loading, and 
 some guns combine the advantages of both systems. 
 
 These guns are usually of comparatively small calibre, firing 
 small arm cartridges, and they are either mounted as wall pieces 
 or placed on carriages like field guns. They are here classed, there- 
 fore, as intermediate between cannon and hand fire-arms. 
 
 1. P^rencli Mitrailleuse. Represented in the exhibit l)y de- 
 
 scription and drawings received from the Ordnance 
 Office. 
 
 This gun had twenty-five barrels grouped in parallel rows of five, all ter- 
 minating at the rear in one slot in the breech casing for the reception of a 
 movable breech-block, having short cartridge chambers corresponding to the 
 different barrels. Several of these blocks could be loaded up in advance, and 
 after the shots were discliarged from one it would be removed and another 
 substituted. Each barrel had a separate firing pin, and these pins were re- 
 leased in succession by meclianism operated by a crank. 
 
 2. Yandenbnrgh Volley Gun ; obsolete ; weight, 663 pounds. 
 
 Said to be of English nuinufacture, and to have been captured from the 
 Confederates. It consists of eighty-five barrels, calibre .46 inch, grouped in a 
 cylindrical casing of bronze. A breech piece, with corresponding muzzle-load- 
 ing cartridge chambers, copper-lined, tits in rear, this piece being attached to 
 a hinge and slide, and having an independent screw block at the outer end 
 to screw into the casing from the rear. After firing, the block had to be un- 
 screwed, pulled out and swung down. The chambers were then separately 
 re-loaded, the breech closed, and all the charges fired at once by a percussion 
 cap in rear. The copper-lining of the chambers projects a little from the 
 block to fit into the barrels and serve as gas check. From West Point. 
 
i8 /r<//- Department Exhibit. 
 
 :>. Iic(iii;i HalttM-y (niii; «-:ilii»re, .53; obsolete. 
 
 For siinultaDcuiis .lisclwirfXf ni' tweiity-tive barrels. The barrels are plaeed 
 side by side in tlie same i>laiie. an<l loaded successively at the breech with 
 paper aimiuinitinn. The breech action gives a very firm support against the 
 sliock of dis.har^'c. All the barrels are closed by a single sliding plate, which 
 is .supported liy aimtlier plate hinged to its rear etlge, the free edge resting 
 against a shoidder on the frame of the gun when the breech i)late is pushed 
 forward. The hinged plate is ojicrated by a lever working in a vertical 
 jdane ]iaralli'l to the line of lire. The lever is hinged to the frame and to the 
 rear end of the hinged i>late. so that pulling the lever backward raises the 
 plate over the supporting shoulder, and jjulls it to the rear. The breech 
 plate and hingeil ]ilate cmistitute i>ra(tically a broad breech-ldock and lock- 
 ing cam, like that used in the Springlichl lueech-loading rille, except that the 
 breech i)late, instead of being hinged to the Ijarrels at the front, like the 
 breech block of the Springlield. is made to slide backward and forward. The 
 gun failed with ]>aper cartridges for want t)f a proper gas-check, but for me- 
 tallic case cartridges the breech system would answer for guns of the type of 
 the Nordenfeldt. The barrels can be brought together at the muzzle or spread 
 ai)art as desired by a lever below. Used at the siege of Fort Wagner, f^outh 
 Carolina. From .Springfield Armory. 
 
 4. (iiithrie and J.ee Machine (Jnn; calibre, .45; obsolete. 
 
 Two barrels are ti.xed to the frame. At right a.igles to their length travels 
 a breech-block, to which by the action of the hand-lever a horizontal recip- 
 rocal motion is given. By this movement chambers in the block are brought 
 first opposite the barrels and then opposite loading troughs Ijy the side of the 
 barrels and in front of the block. Cartridges are i)laced singly by haid in 
 these troughs, and pistons force the cartridges automatically into the cham- 
 ber. When the chandjers come opposite the barrels, the charge is fired by a 
 concealed lock. The loading troughs and pistons are interesting pieces of 
 mechanism. No record of this gnu is accessible. From West Point. 
 
 5. riiioii lv('|K',ii jiii: Ivillc (inn. or CoU'ee 31111 (inn; .•single 
 
 liaifcl: cilihre, .58; obsolete. 
 
 Short, muzzle-loading barrel.'!, or chamber pieces, with an a.vial nipple at 
 tlie rear, are used to hold the charges. A number of these are loaded and 
 capped, and fed by means of a hopper u]Kin a fluted cylinder, which re- 
 volves and brings the cViarges in succession in rear of the long barrel, paus- 
 ing long enough to allow the charge to be fired. A wedge-shaped block, 
 moving verticall.v in rear, forces each small chamber-piece in turn forward 
 against the rear of the barrel to i>revent escape of gas, and serves to supjiort 
 the recoil. But one lock is used, working through a slot in the block. After 
 firing, the chand)er pieces arc carried round to an o})ening which allow.s 
 then> to fall out. They can be re-loaded and used again indelinitely. A crank 
 at the side operates the Ijrecch mechanism. This gun was used at the siege of 
 Petersburg. From National Arniorj\ 
 
JVar Department Exhibit. 19 
 
 (J. Lowell ]\Iac]iiiie (iiiii; cnlihre, 0.4."). 
 
 Cartridges arc fed from above by means of a vertical feed guide, grooves 
 in the guide eatoliing tlie Hauge and leaving the rest of the cartridge 
 free. They fall on a block revolving aliout an axis parallel to the barrel, 
 and <h-ui) successively into grooves in the outer surface. Turning a crank 
 revolves this block and livings one cartridge aftei' another opposite the 
 barrel, the block remaining stati<iiiary long enough foi' the sliding breech-bolt 
 to push the cartridge into the cliambcr and draw out the shell after firing. 
 One lock only is needed, and only one bolt. A tiring pin worked by a spring 
 is released when tlie gun is loaded. This is the first gun here described using 
 metallic ammunition. The gun has not stood the tests of service. The action 
 is jerky and irre.t;ular. Four parallel barrels are i)rovided with this gun. 
 They are ari-anged to be turned around an axle. When a barrel gets heated 
 up by liring, a new barrel is moved up, and soon. 
 
 From National Arjnory. 
 
 7. (Jai'dner Machine (luii; calibre, .45; niauufactured by 
 
 The Pratt cV' Whitney Oo., Harttord, Conn. 
 
 This gun has two barrels side liy side to be fired alternately. A bolt is 
 placed in rear of each ban-el, and these bolts are actuated by cams on a hori- 
 zontal shaft perpendicular to them. This shaft is turned by a handle at the 
 side, and the cams are so placed as to draw out one bolt while pushing in the 
 other, releasing a firing-pin on each bolt when the corresponding barrel is 
 loaded. The feed case, similar to that on the Lowell, is double, containing a 
 row of cartridges for each barrel, a swinging plate closing openings below al- 
 ternately. The barrels are enclosed in a hollow sheath of bronze, intended for 
 holding water to prevent heating tlie barrels too much in firing. This is an 
 excellent gun, simple and effective. From National Armory. 
 
 8. Improved (iatlin<;- Gun ; 1(1 barrels ; calibre, .45. 
 
 The barrels are fixed on a revolving frame, parallel to its axle, and they 
 are revolved by turning a crank which can be placed at the side or rear of the 
 breech casing at ])leasnre. The frame jirojects to the rear of the barrels in 
 the form of a drum, longitudinal slots in the outer surface holding opposite 
 each barrel a sliding breech-bolt with a spring firing-pin. A curved lip on the 
 interior of the stationary breech casing engages the bolts, and wedges thera 
 forward and back as the barrels revolxc. When a bolt is well drawn back, its 
 firing-pin catches in another li[i, which holds it l)ack as the bolt moves for- 
 ward. This compresses the firing spring, and the revolution carries the pin 
 to the end of the lip, where it is released when the bolt is pushed home, and 
 so the cartridge is fired. Cartridges fall successively in rear of the barrels 
 through a mouth in the casing over the position of a barrel when the corres- 
 ponding bolt is drawn back. By the forward and back motion of the bolts, 
 as the barrels revolve, first the cartridges are pushed into the barrels, and 
 then the empty shells are drawn out, a spring hook, which projects beyond 
 the front of each bolt, acting as extractor. The operations of loading, firing 
 and extracting the shells are going on in different barrels at the same time 
 while the barrels are revolving. The gun has a universal pis'ot mounting, 
 
JVar Department Exhibit. 
 
 \vliiili allows it to be tuna-fl in any direction by tlic pointing lever. Clamps 
 sei-ure it in any position. Cartridges arc supplied to the gun by means of the 
 Bruce feed frame, or by the Aides feed drum, the old straight feed cases be- 
 ing practically abandoned. 
 
 77«' Brnri- /<•<•(/. In this, a vertical frame fitting over the moutli holds a 
 swinging plate, on the front face of which arc two channels with undercut 
 sides to catch the flanges of the cartridges. This i)latc can be shifted so as to 
 bring these channels alternately over the mouth and allow the columns of 
 cartridges to fall down by gravity. The ordinary paper boxes in which the 
 cartridges come from the arsenals, holding twenty cartridges in two rows, can 
 be used as in the (iardncr gun for filling the feed channels. The cover off the 
 bo.\, the flanges of all the cartridges can be slid into the channels, and pull- 
 ing the box forward leaves the cartridges behind. 
 
 The Anirs fWil tlniiii. This holds the cartridges in spiral guides within, a 
 series of radial arms revolving together and pushing the cartridges towards 
 tiie orifice. Projections on the revolving frame of the gun engage the ends of 
 these arms and turn them by a positive motion, without the use of an actu- 
 ating spring in the drum. The drums hold about one hundred cartridges, 
 and with this attachment shots can be fired at the rate of 1200 per minute. 
 The positive action of the feed allows it to be used in firing at great angles of 
 elevation or depression where a gravity feed would be useless. 
 
 From the National Armory. 
 
 '.I. Holclikiss .M;icliiiie (iiiii; it Itarrcls ; (•;ilil)re, A'yI. 
 
 The barrels arc fixed on a revolving frame, as in the Gatling gun. and 
 they are worked by turning a crank at the side. Tlie crank shaft carries a 
 driving worm running half round the cin-umfei-ence, so that the barrels re- 
 volve only diu'ing half a turn of the crank. They therefore have an inter- 
 mittent motion round the axle. Cartridges fed from a hopi)er fall succes- 
 sively in front of the loading bolt, which, while a barrel is stationary in front 
 of it, ]>uslu's a cartridge in. The revolution of the barrels brings them suc- 
 cessively opposite a solid jiart of the breech, which supports the base of the 
 eartriilgc. During the pause of the barrel here, the cartridge is exploded by 
 a firing pin working through tlie breech. The shell is carried on down oppo- 
 site an extractor which draws it out aiul lets it fall to the ground. The opera- 
 tions of loading, firing and extracting ai"e jxM-formed in different barrels at 
 the same time, during the intermittent pauses, l\v a single set of parts answer- 
 ing for all the barrels in succession. The gun fires about 150 sliots a minute. 
 Tlic system is better suited to the longer calibres, as it is hardly rapid enough 
 for the small. The solid support of the cartridge at the moment of firing is a 
 great advantage, and the pause of the barrel at the same time insures greater 
 accuracy. The five-barrel gun. calibre \^-^ inches, fires 60 to 80 times a min- 
 ute, projectiles weighing l];. pounds. 
 
 10. The NofilcMifcIdl ."Mnrliiiu' \'()ll('y (niii. 
 
 This is reprcsenlctl in the cxhiliil only by drawings and descrijitions. 
 From two to seven barrels are arranged side by side on a frame, as in the 
 llecjua battery above described. These barrels arc all loaded at once by 
 means of breech plugs attached to a sliding plate in rear. This plate is moved 
 
J4^ar Department Exhibit. 
 
 forward and back by a lever working- horizontally on the right hand side. 
 Each breech plug contains a firing pin, and behind the plug is a hammer op- 
 erated byas])ring. When the lever is drawn back and the breech plate is 
 ])rougiit to the rear, the hammers engage in a sliding comb on the frame, and 
 at the forward movement tliey are lield back and cocked. Wiien the breech 
 is closed, the lever still moving forward secures the Ijreech piec'C by operating 
 a swinging plate, which by means of cam surfaces pushes locking ])olts on 
 the breech plate into mortises in the side frame. Further motion of 
 the lever slides the comli wliiili holds the hammers, and releases 
 them one after another. For each barrel a feed case is required, placed in 
 rear and a little to the left. A slide plate carries the cartridges to the right, 
 in front of the l>reech [)lugs when drawn liack, and a forward niotion of the 
 plug pushes the cartridges into the barrels. All the barrels are l(>adc(l at the 
 same time, but fired separately tboiigb in rapid succession, the interval of 
 fire from the different barrels (h pciidiiig (in the rapidity of motion uf the 
 lever. The effect is, therefore, inncticaliy that of a volley, but the shuck of 
 recoil is not so great as if all the barrels were fired at once. Many of these 
 guns are used in England, but none are used in this countrv^ 
 
 11. The Maxim Automatic Machine Gun. 
 
 llepresented only by drawings and descriptions. This gun, by tbe efYect 
 of its own recoil over a space of only three-quarters of an inch, compresses a 
 spring, and this, when the pressure is released, operates mechanism which 
 ejects the empty shell, draws a new cartridge to the front of the bolt, forces it 
 into the barrel and fires it automatically, this operation continuing as long 
 as cartridges are supplied. The cartridges are placed in pockets on a licit 
 holding 333 cartridges, and sevei'al belts can be fastened end to end. The end 
 of the belt is introduced into the breech casing from the side, and the belt is 
 drawn in as the gun is fired, tiie breech bolt passing through the sockets and 
 ])ushing the cartridges into the barrel. At tbe same time water is automat- 
 ically injected into a casing around the liarrel to keep the metal cool. Si.x 
 hundred shots per minute can be fired. This is an American invention de- 
 veloped abroad. 
 
 12. Biiffiug'ton Steel C;)rria;i,e and Curved Shield lor Ma- 
 
 chine (inns. 
 
 The carriage is formed of steel {)lates, so arranged that the body forms a 
 hollow a.xle between the wheels. This gives a"oom for storing a large supply 
 of cartridges, instead of depending wholly on the sui>ply in the lindoer chests. 
 The curved shape of the shield, e.xtendiug uiiwanls from the front of the car- 
 riage, gives greater protection to tlic gunners, Init the especial feature is the 
 arrangement by which the gun can be aimed as desired, though the shield is 
 fi.xed to the carriage, without exposing the gunners through a wide ojien- 
 ing for the muzzle. A square opeinng in the shield is covered in front liy a 
 covered slide, free to move laterally, ;nul in tills .slide an opening the widtii 
 of the muzzle extends from top to bottom. Tiiis oix'ning in the slide is cov- 
 ered T)y two overlapping disks, pivoted centrally on either side of the open- 
 ing, these disks having notches cut out where they overlap, the notches 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 iillowitit; r.H.m for tlio nmzzU- to i.r..lni(lp. Just eiiougli play i^s given to al- 
 low siKhti.i- tl.roufrl. tl.o o|.,.niM- T1h> sli.l." all..vvs lateral n.ovenient of the 
 
 iniizzlc ami the disks allow a vertical nioveiueiit in any imsilitin of the slide. 
 It is intended to liave 'i steel tiap hinged to the under ]iait i> the carriage 
 
 Fifi. 2. 
 lilliiig the iiiK'nini: hclow, and to sheathe the wlieels if neeesssary. Though a 
 ( iatiiii- -un is now nmiinted on this carriage, it is inteii(h'(l for any gun that 
 needs t(i he pivoted on tlu' t'arriage. I'miii (he XaiiiPiial Armory- 
 
 13. New Liiiil)er for ^rachiiie Gtiiis. 
 
 Constructed to use with the Ihithngton carriage and Williston liarness. 
 The wooden chest is fastened inrmanently to the frame and axle of steel. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 23 
 
 The lid of the che;st, hin.i;-e(l in front, is made of steel, and it is intciidcd when 
 raised to serve as a shielil to protect men at the chest. In front of the chest 
 is a shelf with a low iron railing. A donhle-tree is used with single-trees at- 
 tached. The pole has no permanent j^oke and no straps, but a projection a 
 little in rear of the pole-pad prevents the ring of the neck yoke from slii)ping 
 back. The interior of the chest is divided into three compartments, each V.'> 
 inches deep, 1234 inches wide, and 21 inches long. The lind)er can be used as 
 an ammunition wagon for distributing ammunition in the field. The shelf in 
 front of the chest serves for holding sacks of cartridges. In the system df 
 distributing cartridges it is intended to have the wooden bo.xes made to Imld 
 600 instead of 1,000, making a box that one man can readily handle, and 
 giving handier .shape and size for packing on mule back when necessary. The 
 paper bo.xes, each holding 20 cartridges, are strapped together in s<iuare pack- 
 ages of 10, and eacli wooden box holds three such packages. The box is 
 made to open readily without the need nf l)reakiug it apart. The packages 
 are of convenient form and weight tn be carried by hand to supply troops on 
 the firing line, and they can lie readily stowed in the limber chest. The 
 wooden boxes were devised liy ( ol. 1). W. Flagler and Col. Williston. 
 
 14. New Harness lor Liiilit Artillery and Machine Ciuns. 
 
 A full set of wheel and lead harness; devised by Brevet Lieut. Col. E. B. 
 Williston, Major Third Artillery, is shown. It differs materially from artil- 
 lery harness previouslj- used. 
 
 The saddle and ecpiipment of cavalry are adojited in place of the old, and 
 the harness is made to conform more closely to the ordinary draught harness 
 used for wagons. It is constructed with a view to celerity and ease in har- 
 nessing and unharnessing. The pole yoke is given up, and a neck yoke is 
 adopted. In jjlace of the rigid splinter-bar, a swinging double-tree is used, 
 with single-trees attached, to equalize the draught of the two horses. The 
 single-tree is placed al)ove the pole for liglit draught, and Ijelow it for heavy 
 loads. 
 
 To unhitch it is only necessary to unhook the single-trees from the 
 double-trees, and slip the ring of tbe neck yoke off the end of the jjole. The 
 single-trees can be then attached to hook.s on the cautle of the saddle. In- 
 stead of a single lead-line for the off horse the bridle has two reins, which 
 unite in a single strap passing over a roller on the saddle and hanging on the 
 side toward the driver, where he can readily grasp it. Wide and thin traces 
 are used instead of the present thick, narrow trace. The collar is hinged at 
 the top and fastened at the bottom l)y a spring fastening. Martingale and 
 side straps are used to hold the neck yoke down and relieve strain in Inilding 
 back. A woven hair pad is recommended. 
 
 The new harness is much lighter than the old system. It is claimed that 
 this harness is much more convenient in harnessing and unharnessing, and 
 that it can 1)6 manufactured more cheaply than that now in use; also, that 
 its adjustment can be more readily learned by civilians called to act as 
 teamsters. From National Armory. 
 
^4 
 
 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 ].-,. \\illist(.ii\s Sectional Picket Rope for Light Artillery. 
 
 Tliis consists of several lengtlis of rope, each length provided with steel 
 slides at the ends, one holding a link and the other a hook. The link is made 
 thin enougii at one side for the hook to slip on, the rest of the link being 
 large enough to keep the hook from slipping off. The lengths can be readily 
 joined i)y these fastenings, each wagon carrying one length, enough for the 
 horses belonging to it when detached from the rest of the battery. The rope 
 is laid along the ground and secured to it by iron picket pins having two 
 hooks at the end to overlap the rope from opposite sides. 
 
 HAM) FIKE-ARMS. 
 
 .\ very full collection of these arms is shown, indicating the 
 develojiment from the earliest times, and including many of the 
 most recent magazine guns of to-day. Most of the guns are from 
 the fine collection at the National Armcjry. but the more recent for- 
 eign guns were sent from West Point. 
 
 The descriptions of hand fire-arms are divided into the follow- 
 ing classes : 
 
 Match Locks — Muzzle Loaders. 
 
 Wheel Locks — Muzzle Loaders. 
 
 Flint Locks — Muzzle Loaders. 
 
 Percussion Locks — Muzzle Loaders. 
 
 Single Breech Loaders. 
 
 Re])eating Arms, including Revolvers. 
 Though the last two classes involve the use of the different 
 kinds of locks described in the first three classes, the locks are not 
 the distinctive feature. Rejjeating arms and revolvers also em- 
 brace breech loaders, though not confined to that class. No sepa- 
 rate classification of smooth bores and ritk-s is made. The ritle 
 with spiral grooves was probably invented in the latter part of the 
 i6tii century, but straight grooves were used as early as 1498 in 
 German)-. 'J'his form steadied the bullet, but the advantages 
 gained liy twist seem to have been an accidental discovery. About 
 1600 the rille began to be used as a military weaj)on, witli s])her- 
 ical bullets, and in i 729 elongated bullets were used. In this coun- 
 
Mar JJcpart)iic)it Exiiibit. 
 
 25 
 
 try military rifles were made as early as 18 14, at Harper's Ferry, 
 but the mass of American infantry were armed with smooth bores 
 until 1855. Rifles were in common use by the Americans during 
 the Revolution. 
 
 MATCH LOCKS. 
 HiHid guns first appeared in the I4tli Century— the earliest ones reiiuiring 
 to he touched oti', like cannon, hy means of a slow match hehl in the hand. 
 These were called hand-tannon, petronels, culverius, etc. (the recoil of the 
 pelronel heing taken uji on the lireast-plate instead of on the shoulder). Tlie 
 match lock soon appeared. It liad a swinging cock on the gun ti) liold the 
 
 Fig. 3. 
 slow match. It was fired liy forcini;- tiic cock down, and so liringing the slow 
 match to the firing pan. In later nindels tlic cock had a lever attached to 
 act as trigger for l)ringing tlic slow match down. The match locks are the 
 earliest models shown in tlie exhibit. Many of these early guns were so 
 heavy that a crutch had to he used to snpi>ort them in firing. 
 
 1. Matcli Lock ^[usket — Foniiosan. 
 
 Captured from the Boutans and Kussikuts, of Ahoriginal Formosa, at the 
 battle of tSeik Mon (Stone Doors) by the Japanese troops under General Saigo, 
 May 22, 1874. This represents the earliest form of match lock referred to 
 above. It has no trigger. It is of form and weight to he fired from the 
 shoulder. From Natioind Armory 
 
 2. Match Lock ]Muskct fi-oni India; date tmkiiown. 
 
 British coins on butt. The bands and mountings are silver. This lias a 
 trigger for operating the cock. 'I'bc butt is bent downward ami then ui)ward, 
 forming a curious curve. Tiic consl ruction of tiie gun and its general linish 
 are of tlie most primitive character. 
 
 3. Match Lock Musket; calibre, .717 ; of XIV. Century. 
 
 The trigger works an intermediate lever to bring the hghted end of the 
 
26 
 
 JJur Di- part nun t Exhibit. 
 
 match iiit.j coiitail witli tlu- i-aii. <Jik' ubjiHtiuii lu iiiatLli knks was that the 
 blast from the vi-nt or toiit-h-hole would blowout the match. This gun is 
 lif^lit e^ou^'il to lire fiom the shoulder. 
 
 4. Match Lock :Mnskct ; calibrts ..jO ; history unknown ; 
 jirolKilily Eastern. 
 
 Has a tri^TK^T for <»].eratinf,' the eoek. but the trigger is pushed up instead 
 of backward as in other guns. The stock is nearly .straight. The barrel was 
 originally covered with gold leaf, and the stock was ornamented with same. 
 No trJL'L'cr iruanl is found on the match lock guns. 
 
 WMEEL LOCKS. 
 These guns first appeared early in the Kith Century. They originated in 
 Germany. The lock is very ingenious and comi)licated. In these locks a 
 piece of tlint is j.rcsscd d.iw u by a sj.ring against a revolving wheel of tciii]icrcil 
 
 1-ig. -i. 
 steel placed under the pan. The friction betMcen the surfaces i>roduces the 
 sparks that ignite the powder. The Hint is held in a clamp hinged in front. 
 A ribbon spring round the arbor of the wheel is wound uj) i)y a key, and press- 
 ing a trigger releases the wheel and allows it to revolve. Two of these guns 
 are shown. 
 
 All the early lire arms were so slow to load that in a battle as late as 
 1036 they could be lind only about once an hour. 
 
 1. Chinese Wheel Lock Pistol ; calibre, .492. 
 
 This shows very line work. The stock is itdaid with ivory. 
 
 2. Wheel Lock (iiiii ; calihre, .707 : (late about 1520? 
 
 Used in the held with a crutch to sujijiort the barrel. Stock lii,i;bly orna- 
 mented. The barrel is marked Gottfried Flennng. Engraving of battle 
 scene on lo(k-jilate. 'Jhi.s gun was )irobably used as a wall piece or with a 
 lioitable (lulch in licld (iriTig. A slide covers th(> pan to keep the priming 
 
War Department Exhibit. 27 
 
 from faliiiig out. Winding up the spring slides the pan forward. The h ck 
 lias a set trigger. It is remarkable for the fineness and force of its engrav- 
 ing, and for the general beauty of its iov\\\ and finish. 
 
 A detached wheel lock is also shown in working order. By pressing a 
 knob outside the lock-plate, the pan cover shdes back and protects the prim- 
 ing from wet or loss. The key is i>i'rniaiirntly atiacheil to the arbor wind- 
 ing up the spring. 
 
 FLINT LOCKS-MUZZLE LOADERS. 
 The Hint lock was invented early in the Kith century. It was introduced 
 into the French army in 16S0, and it continued to be used in all armies until 
 about 18i2, when the percussion lock replaced it. The muzzle-loading guns of 
 this type shown in the exhibit are as follows ; 
 
 1. Rifle Used l)y Minute Men of tlie Revolution in 177(1 
 
 2. Five Samples of Blunderbuss. 
 
 Some with iron barrels and some with brass; cylindrical and bell- 
 mouthed ; two with swivel for use ;s wall i)ieces. These date from t776 to 
 1S20. 
 
 3. Eight Guns Made tor U. kS. Army at Springfield or 
 
 Harper's Ferry. 
 
 These include models of 1799 (one of the first made), 1808, 1814, 1818, 
 lSo7, and 1813, the latter from the last lot of flint locks made. These guns 
 show changes in attaching the barrel to the stock, and in securing the bay- 
 onet. In the earliest models the barrel had no bands. It was attached by 
 keys to the stock. The Harper's Ferry model of 1814 is a rifle, calibre .53. 
 The model of 1818 shows a magazine lock for reprlming the pan. The cal- 
 ibre of the muskets varies from .69 to .70. 
 
 4. Arab Musket; calibre, .727. 
 
 Barrel 4 feet 10 Indies long. Total lengtii, (! feet 1 inch long. Highly 
 ornamented barrel and stock. The locking of the hammer draws the pan 
 cover over the pan, and protects the priming from wet, etc. The fall of the 
 hammer pushes this cover forward, and allows the sparks from the steel to 
 fall into the priming and ignite the charge. Si.x bands of sheet brass hold the 
 barrel to the stock. The butt plate is of bone, and is highly decorated on the 
 sole. The length of guns of this class is probably due to the imperfect gun- 
 powder manufacture of the period. This being used with a slow-burning 
 mealed powder, the long barrel was necessary to allow complete combustion. 
 
 5. Albanian ^fusket ; calibre, .72. 
 
 Silver mounted. Resembles very much in length, style of ornamentation, 
 etc., the Arab musket, but it is bandeil and inlaid with silver. The hammer has 
 a special dog outside the lock-plate for holding it oft the steel. The hand of 
 the tirer is protected from abrasion by a leather Hap. The piece has no trig" 
 ger guard. The butt is of brass and unc(inif(>rtat)ly narrow. 
 
28 ^/'^A- Department Exhibit. 
 
 PERCUSSION LOCKS MUZZLE LOADERS. 
 1. Aii>t ri.iii Siiiuotli IJoi'c ^Miisl^ct : calil)!"!', .70"). 
 
 Tlii.s is I'viik-iitly ;i drtniKitiiij; ^nin, oi'fnited by (.'Xplixliiiy; a porcu-ssion 
 (•a|>.siik' ill tin- pan. Tlio pan is ruvered liy a lid on the i)riiiciple of tlie flint 
 lock, and a pin works tlirouffh tlii.s lid acting on (lie cu]isulc liclnw. The 
 Iiaininer strikes tlie ]iin and e.\])lodes tlie cliaTfri'. 
 
 •J. Spiiii-lifld Siiioolli Imipc ^fiisl-ict ; c-ililire, .(i*.>. 
 
 Altered from tlie old inndel Hint lock to percussion in lSt;5. The bayonet 
 lias a cla-sji. Many <if the altereil locks were used in the first years of the re- 
 bellion, a.s new arms could not be supplied in sufficient (piantities. 
 
 0. SiiritiiilicM Smootlt Hnre .^Fiiskef ; calibre, .00; iiUKlel 
 
 1S4-J. 
 
 Tlie \\\<\ iiindcl nf llir riiltcil States jxTcussion mu.sket, used in tlie 
 service in the Mexican War. Tlie supi>ly being insufficient, however. Hint 
 locks were generally enii)|()yed. Haynnet has clasj). 
 
 1. ILnpci's I'\'i-i-y SliarpsliooterV Kille ; calihrc. .75; 1847. 
 
 \—vi\ .111 tiipiMl. i'cc|i sight on trigger; glot)e sight on liarrel. 
 
 ."). Slioft KilU', 1 la i-pi'r's Ferry ; calibre,;").'^."). 
 
 Maiiufaiturcd ISf.s. Urnwneil liari'cl. Hrass mountings. Palcli box in 
 
 stork. 
 
 (). Double IJarrid Ivillc; caliltre, .."il ; Mmiich. 
 
 Lock plate guard and butt plate engraved. No bauds. Ilamiod on left 
 side of stock. Barrels sujteriiosed. 
 
 7. Sprinjifield Siiiootli Bore .Miisketooii ; calibre, .(59; iSol. 
 
 IJrass butt jilate. (oiard and i>ands. Ilaniroil in swivel to prevent its 
 
 loss on liorsebark. Long swivel bar. 
 
 iS. Short, Heavy Sport ini^ Kille. 
 
 Private luanufacturi' maile from stray ])arts. 
 
 0. Spriiiii-lield Kille Miiskel ; calibre, .58. 
 
 Two leaf sights. 3i)(3 to 70u yai'ds. Manufacturt'd in 1.X5!). :Mnynard 
 ])rimer. 
 
 10. Short Kille, llarjierV l-'erry ; calibiw .58. 
 
 Manufactured \\\ LS59. Browned barrel. :Maynard ju-imer and sabre 
 bayonet. Patch box in stock. 
 
 11. Spriiiiiliehl Kille Musket; calibre, .5S ; model, 18()1. 
 This is the arm made in greatest numbers during the ^Var of the Pe 
 
IVar Department Rxhilnt. 29 
 
 Ix'llion. It differs nuiinly from the iiioilel 1855 in the change in the rear 
 siiilit, and tlie (Hiiissinn dI' tiic Maynard primer. Tl\e necessity for tiie im- 
 mediate pniduetidii of i;i'-is divl nut allow time for clianging tlie hiclv-plute 
 tools, so as to r(>ilnc(' till/ I liickiH'ss of the lork-plate from tlie thickness re- 
 (juired hy the Maynard pi'lmiT. Smni' of the minor defnils of the monntings 
 are also altered. 
 
 12. En-lish Eiitield Rille Musket, with Sabre Bayonet ; cal- 
 ibre, aS.T; model, 18()1. 
 
 Has iii]>|ile pi-otector held hy chain on trigger guard. Man)- of these 
 trnns were useil durinu' thr Itehellion. 
 
 BREECH LOADERS. 
 
 Breech haulers ihite hack to the time of King Ilein-y Vlir. The earliest 
 forms of French and German nuike. in latt ".■ part of IGth century, had a 
 ehamliered hrecch piece, similar in action to that descrihed for the early Chi- 
 nese cannon. These were match lock guns. Son\e flint lock hrei'ch loaders 
 in latterpartof 17th century used a sinular hlock, hut had a hariei turning 
 on a hinge below, as in the modern Smith cV: Wesson revolver, or made to 
 swing sideways to allow inserting the chamber piece. These removable 
 idiainber pieces were really the first metallic case cartridges. During the 
 Revolution a lireech loader was in nsc closed hy a screw turned in from helow 
 across the rear of the barrel. This was the Furguson rifle. The tirst Amcr' 
 ic;in breech loading gun was the Hall, and s])eciniens of this gun are the first 
 shown in the exhibit . 
 
 1. i^reech Loa.liiiii', Flint l>o<-k Kitie I\Insket (ilalTs); 
 
 {•alibre, 5 1.2. 
 
 Ten thousand of these guns were issueil to U. S. troops in 1818. A muzzle 
 loading chamber piece hinged at rear inline of barrel could be tilted ui> to 
 allow the insertion of the paper cartridge. A catch underneath holds the 
 breech piece down when closed. No provision for a gas check was made in 
 these guns. A joint loose for one thickness of writing paper, but binding on 
 two, being considered tiglit enough lo iirevent tlie escape of gas, and yet 
 k)ose enough for free manipulation. 
 
 2. Same System, Flint Lock, Model of 1832; calibre, ~^.^X^. 
 
 8. IlalFs Carbine, Same System, Percussion Lock; caliber, 
 64.2, with Kamrod Bayonet ; 1832. 
 
 4. Hall's RiHe, Percussion ; calibre, .54; 1832. 
 
 5. Breech Loading; Xavy Carl)ine, Jenks ; calibre, .52 ; 1843. 
 
 Paper cartridge, hammer on side of the barrel. Opened hy drawing hack 
 
•^o JJ^(7f Department Exhibit. 
 
 to). lever. By means of a link this draws back a sliding breech-plug, and cx- 
 j.uses a n.und hole in the top of the liarrei a little larger than the ball. The 
 ball is inserted through this, and allowed to run forward to its seat. The 
 powder is then jMiured in and pressed forwanl l>v ri'vcrsinir the movement 
 of tlie IfVcr. 
 
 6. Sli;iri)"s Ciii-liiiH': cililuv, .."'i ; paper carlridiie. 
 
 Closed hy a block sliding vertically aero.«;s rear of barrel, operated by a 
 lever below. Percussion cap and nipple. Edge of block sharp to cut off rear 
 of paper cartridge. Gas check formed by undercut .hollow in face of block. 
 Sharps guns were used in the U. S. Army as early as ISifi, in the Mexican 
 war, and during the Rebellion. 
 
 7. Sliai-p's Kitle; calilxM-, .58; paper cartruliie ; Mayiiard 
 
 l)riiner. 
 
 In this nmdcl tiic l)reccli i)lock is inclined (o axis of l)arrcl. 
 
 S. I'nissiaii Xceille ( iim ; calibre. .(lO ; iiiveiiled 1»y Dreyse 
 
 in 1S;5S. 
 
 Presented by the Prussian (Jovernment to the United States in 1868. This 
 gun was adopted by the Prussian Government in 1847. It fires a paper car- 
 triilge, front ignition, the needle striking a pellet of fulminate in the base of 
 the paper sabot which surrounds the ball. There is no gas check except that 
 resulting from the mechanical fit of the bolt. This is the earliest self-primed 
 cartridge adopted for military service, and the gnu is the first exami)le of the 
 holt system now so common in Europe. The bolt is pushed in and turned, 
 like a common door bolt, to secure it. 
 
 0. Carbine of Same System; calibre, ."^1. 
 
 The front sight is protected by guards on either si(U> projecting above the 
 l)arrel. These guards stand away from the sight far enough not to interfere 
 with aim. This device would be useful where no sight cover is used. 
 
 10. .\lleii and ^\'lleel()(•lc Carbiiu"; calibre, .40; pai)er car- 
 lridiie; made al Worcester, IS,")."). 
 
 1 1. (JreeiiV l^oll (inn ; calibre,..");)."); Paper Cartrida;e; 18,")7. 
 
 Hammer un^lerneatli l)arrel. Hy depressing the spring in the rear of the 
 linlt the handle of the liolt can he lifted and withdrawn. A i)iston, travers- 
 ing tl'c length of the bolt and attached to the handle, serves to pass the 
 cliarge forward ii^to place. Tlie piston being then withdvawn, the bolt is 
 turned and locked in place hy two lugs at its forward end engaging with cor- 
 resjionding recesses in the receiver. 
 
 12. TJndner (^irbine; calibre, .")S.2 ; paper carlridiie. 
 1."). Early Frenidi Breech Loading: Kille ; calibre, .58. 
 
War Depaiinicut Exhibit. 31 
 
 iSj'steni somewhat rcsriiihU's " Siiai-|i's " (no marks); probably used with 
 Let'aucheux cartridge. 
 
 14. Merrill Musketoon, L.-itrolte and Thoinas '^ Keber" ; cal- 
 
 ibre, .r)4; i)ai)er cartridtie. 
 
 Altered from Harper's Ferry ritle. Manutaclurod is II). See Loek plate. 
 Leaf rear sight l^'mm National Armory 
 
 Tlie INIerrill rifle reser.ibled the Jenks, described above, except as to nian- 
 ner of loading. It has a spring catch engaging with rear sight base. Also, 
 an ordinary side lock meant for prepared paper or skin ammunition. No 
 extractor used, as cartridge is all consumed. Breech plug faced with copper, 
 probably to serve as gas check. 14,495 INIerrill carbnies were imrciiased for 
 use of the army during the Civil war. 
 
 15. Starr's Carbine; calibre, .54; ])ai)er cartridiie ; Skele- 
 
 tonized ((> show Breech Action. 
 
 By depressing the lever the brace in rear of the breei-h-block is drawn 
 downward by means of a link connecting it with breech-block. The breech- 
 block is simultaneously caused to revolve downward and backward. The 
 piece is fired by an ordinary side-lock. The face of the breech-block is coun- 
 tersunk annularly so as to give a conical bearing against the l)ntt of the 
 barrel, probably to serve as gas check. 25,603 of these arms were ijurcliascd 
 for use in the army during the Civil war. 
 
 IG. Smith Carbine; cali])re, .52; Paper Cartridge. 
 
 Barrel connected with butt by a hinge below, and held above by a spring 
 on the barrel, stretching across the joint and fitting over a scjuare lug on top 
 of buttstock. Spring lifted by a lever underneath. 3,062 of these rifles pur- 
 chased for use during the civil war. From Alleghany Arsenal. 
 
 17. Gallagher Riiie Carbine ; calibre, .51. 
 
 Barrel opened at breech by lever underneath, pushing it foiward. Used 
 in Civil war. 
 
 18. Cosniox)olitan Rifle Carbine ; calibre, .50. 
 
 By depressing the lever the fi'ont section of tfie breecli-lilock sHdi's inick 
 until a cylindrical tenon on its face is clear of tlie chamber. It then re- 
 volves about an axis in front and below it until the chamber is exposed. 
 The strain of the discharge is transferred by the head of the lever to the 
 abutment on the frame. The arm uses a paper or linen cartridge, ignited by 
 a percussion cap. An apron above the block protects the parts from dust, 
 etc., and helps to guide the cartridge in loading. Tscd in (ivd war. 
 
 19. Joslyn Carbine Rille ; calibre, .54. 
 
 The breech is closed by a plug at the forward end of the strap running 
 backward on to the small of the stock. The shape of the plug i.s conical; 
 it is loose upon the strap, and contains a split ring designed to be exj)ande(l 
 bv the force of the discharge against the sides of the seat of the mouth of the 
 
■,2 JJ'(T7- Department ExJiibit. 
 
 cliaiiil)er to art as gas chock. This oxpaiisimi is effected by means of a con- 
 ical i.luiL', driven into tlie split ring by the discharge. Thi.s is similar to the 
 gas check of the Williams gun described under cannon. The locking catch 
 is soconnected with the rear that the hammer can not fall while the breech 
 is open. The breech-block is locked wlien closed by the locking catch at its 
 rear end. Used in Civil war. 
 
 20. Fi-ciitli Chassepot Carbiiie; caliljre, .45. 
 
 Handle bent down to he out of the way. Paper cartridge. Bolt gun 
 resemlding the Prussian needle gun in principle. The gas check is a rubber 
 waslier on the end of the bolt. This is compresSed a.xially by the powder 
 pressure and forced against the sides of the chamber, being sindlar in princi- 
 ple to the Do Bangegas check now u.sed in heavy guns. 
 
 In the above guns paper cartridges were used, bullet an<l pnwder wrapped 
 in paper which had to be removed, or in the latter models, cartridges in which 
 the powder only was covered with ])apcr. cloth ()r otlier condjustible sub- 
 stance, so that powder and l)all could be inserted togelher. The following 
 use 
 
 MKTALLIC SHELL C.VRTKIDGES. 
 
 The first of these shells were unpriincd like the Maynard and Burnside, 
 and in the transition stage s(une were made with tin or brass foil wrajijiers. 
 
 21. Speiirer Sintile Fiiiiiii' Ivitie ; Keiiiovaltle Steel Loadiiiji' 
 
 Cluiniber. 
 
 This has ;i thin removable steel loading chamber, like the systiMu described 
 ab(jve as of the earliest model known. The chanaber can be taken out and 
 reloade(L It was ])robably iiitended to have a number oi these chambers 
 
 loadcil for use, and tluToforc the gun is placed in this class. 
 
 22. 'IJiiniside Rifle Carbine; (•alil)r(\ ~^\\ IS")!). 
 
 Movable chaml)er pivoted in front under barrel held ilose l)y cover on 
 transverse shaft operated hj" side lever. Used an unprimed metallic cartridge, 
 the front part of the shell covering the joint between the breech block and the 
 barrel to prevent leakage of gas. Central fire; perforation in center of base 
 admitting flame from cap placed on an outside nipj)le. In closing, the breech 
 block has a forward movement, so that the bidlet projecting from forward 
 end of chamber is pushed into the rear of the barrel. A nundier of tlujse 
 arms were used at one time by the United States for cavalry. 
 
 23. J^iitiiside (^irl)iiie; calibre, .54. 
 
 This differs from the above in the locking device, consisting of a barbed 
 catch on the receiver, connected with a pivoted thumb-jiiece on the inner 
 side of the guard. 55,5f)7 of these guns were purchased for use m the army 
 during the Civil war. Allegbanv Arsenal. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 33 
 
 24. Morse's S.ystem, 1858; Wilson and Flather's Alteration 
 
 of Smooth Bore ; calibre, .58. 
 
 Essentially the same principle as the Morse. The cartridge is rim fire, 
 fired by a side lock ; the parts not so well proportioned as in the Morse, and 
 the breech not so securely locked as in that arm. This arm is provided with 
 an automatic ejector, rising from the bottom of the receiver to throw out the 
 cartridge after it has been withdrawn by the extractor. 
 
 The Morse system is opened by raising a flap hinged at rear to butt of 
 barrel. This, by means of a link from the middle point, operates a breech- 
 block which travels back and forth in the cavity exposed by raising the flap. 
 A center fire cartridge, with rubber base, was used, one of the earliest of the 
 metallic shells. Springfield Armory. 
 
 25. Ballard Ritie; caliber, .54. 
 
 By depressing a lever the breech-block is caused first to recede from the 
 barrel, and then to drop downward, revolving about a shifting horizontal 
 axis at its lower and rearmost corner. Hammer and lock concealed in the 
 breech-block. Rim fire cartridge. The cartridge shell is extracted by means 
 of a slidin.g- extractor beneath the barrel, moved independently by hand by 
 means of a finger-piece projecting beneath the tip stock. Depressing the 
 stock leaves the hammer at half-cock. Block can not be depressed when 
 hammer is cocked. Fifteen hundred of these gvms were purchased for use in 
 the army during the Civil war. 
 
 26. Joslyn Carbine; calibre, .50. 
 
 Opens by turning block to the left. Extractor on block. 
 
 27. Palmer Carbine ; calibre, .50 ; 1865. 
 
 Bolt gun with side lock. Instead of being secured, like an ordinary door 
 bolt, as in the needle gun and Chassepot, the bolt has a sectional screw at the 
 rear end, engaging, when turned, with corresponding screw sections in the 
 receiver. Essentially the same as the " French breech screw," described un- 
 der 3.2 inch rifle. Rim fire cartridge. Spring extractor lying on bolt and 
 fastened to it. The bolt revolves independent of extractor. Ejection ac- 
 complished by a side lever thrown outward by a spring as the shell passes it. 
 Fired bj^ ordinary side lock, the hammer striking cartridge directly on rim. 
 l,001V)f these arms were purchased for use of army during the Civil war. 
 
 28. Ward Burl on Rifle; calibre, .50; model, 1870; altera- 
 
 tion of Muzzle Loading Springfield. 
 
 Sanie method as above of securing bolt. Lock concealed in bolt. Self- 
 cocking by operation of loading. Ejector, a pin driven out of front face of 
 bolt when well back. Issued for experimental trial in the field with the 
 Springfield, Remington, and Siiarp's arms. 1,000 of each. 
 
 29. German Manser Rifle ; calibre, .45 ; 1870 ; for sabre 
 
 bayonet. 
 
 The breech action is similar to that of the later forms of needle gun, but 
 
34 War Departninit Exhibit. 
 
 the needle is abolished and a firing-i)in .■sub>titutcd, a.s the piece is used with 
 central fire metallic cartridges. An extractor, working in a slot in left side 
 of the shoe, is fastened to the holt, projecting forward. The ne.'dle gun had 
 been much improved l)efore the change was made. The earlier ones re- 
 (juired to be cocked by hand before the l)olt could be turned and drawn out. 
 In later patterns the oi>erati(in of turning the liolt cocks the i)iece. The nose 
 of till- Ixilt is held from turning, and this steadies the striking mechanisjo. 
 
 ;{(). Austrian Wcrndl Rilie ; calibre, .45; 1872; sabre 
 
 bayonet. 
 
 Fired by side lork. The breech-ljlock swings on an axis below the line of 
 the barrel hut parallel thereto. Tliis is turned by means of a thuinli-piece. 
 A spiral groove in the shaft serves to work tlu- extractor. 
 
 .■)1. Fiviich (iras Rille; callbri', A'^'^ ; model, 1874. 
 
 This is the development of the ('liassepot as adapted to the metallic cart- 
 ridge. The rubber washer, formerly used as gas check, is therefore omitted 
 as unnecessary. an<l a heavy extractor placed on the bolt. 
 
 ;^2. Beaumont Musket, Holland; calibre, .45. 
 
 Presented to the United States by the Government of the Netherlands in 
 1872. A bolt gun. Cocked automatically by turning up the handle to open 
 the breech. It operates otherwise very much as the Chassepot. This has a 
 spiral spring. A safety catch on the right .side of the receiver locks the bolt 
 in place after loading, and permits the arm to l)e carried without danger 
 either of accidental opening or of discharge. 
 
 33. Comblain Rifle, with sabre ba3'onet; calibre, .45. 
 
 Partially adopted by the Belgian Government. By depressing the lever 
 the breech-block slides downward to expose the chaml)er; the motion of the 
 lever cocks the hammer meanwhile. 
 
 34. Pierie or Glisenti Rifle. 
 
 This is a bolt gun, and the special peculiarity is that the trigger extends 
 to the rear of the bolt, so as to be operated by the thumb instead of the fore- 
 finger. ' 
 
 35. Norny's Alteration of Muzzle Loader ; calibre, .58 ; 1886. 
 
 Opened by drawing back a lever pivoted underneath the stock in front of 
 the trigger guard. The lever has a link connecting it with the butt of the 
 barrel, so that by the above operation the entire i)arrel is slid forward in its 
 bed between the stock and the band. Loaded with a cartridge inserted by 
 hand into the chamber. Closed by reversing the movement of the lever, 
 which is secured when closed by means of a turn screw at its forward end. 
 Fired by the ordiiuiry side lock, the face of the hammer being prolonged, 
 and sharpened to strike the rim of the cartridge. Cartridges extracted by 
 the beveled stud on the face of the breech screw. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 35 
 
 36. Collin's Alteration of Mnzzle Loader ; caliber, .58. 
 
 The breech-block is opened hy liberating a spring catch on its right side 
 and swinging it over to the left. The extractor slides under the well of the 
 receiver, and is moved by a separate trigger beneath the barrel. This trigger 
 has a cogged section on its upper surface, which meshes into an inter- 
 mediate ijinion between itself and the cogged lower surface of the extractor. 
 This causes a pull on the trigger to slide the extractor backward. 
 
 37. Breech Loading Rifle, Freeman; calibre, .50; 1870; 
 
 metallic cartridge. 
 
 Opened by swinging back breech-block by the thumb-piece in front. 
 Locked by the position of the breech-block and by help of hammer. Extrac- 
 tion and ejection by sliding extractor underneath seat of block, which oper- 
 ates in connection with it. 
 
 38. Five Guns, showing modifications of the Remington 
 
 System. 
 
 In this, the breech is closed by a block revolving backward on an axis be- 
 low, perpendicular to barrel. A cylindrical shoulder at the base of the hammer 
 in rear is made to support this block. The specimens show different modifi- 
 cations — Benton, Laidley, etc. — of the locking device, to give security from 
 premature explosion or to render the opening easier. 
 
 From National Armory. 
 
 39. Breech Loading Rifle Musket (unknown); 1863 ; cali- 
 
 bre, .50. 
 
 Breccli-liluck opened l)y hanuner, closed by hand. By cocking the ham- 
 mer II i)arallel projection on tlie shaft of the tumbler strikes against a hinged 
 stud within the breech block, first lifts it out of its seat in the receiver, anil 
 then draws it back vmtil the breech is fully exposed. The hammer is stopped 
 at the half-cock by a projection on the side of the breech-block, against 
 which it strikes. The block is closed by hand. It is locked when in place by 
 setting into its mortise or seat in the receiver. One remarkable feature, espe- 
 cially, considering its date, consists in the absence of screws ; the entire 
 breech mechanism, including the lock, having but one screw, and that one 
 free from numy objections of its kind. 
 
 40. Lee Gun; calibre, .45; 1875. 
 
 Opened by pressing forward the hammer. The insertion of the cartridge 
 releases the breech-block, which is raised when the hammer is next cocked. 
 The cartridge is extracted and ejected by ])ressing forward the hammer. One 
 hundred of these made at the National Armor\'. 
 
 41. Braendlin Albini Rifle ; calibre, .45 ; 1868. 
 
 Presented by Belgian Minister. The breech-block is hinged in front at 
 top of barrel, as in Springfield breech loader. It is locked in place, when 
 
36 JVar Department Exhibit. 
 
 closed, by a bolt connected with a hammer, which entered an axial cavity 
 in the block. The tiring pin lies forward of this cavity, and is struck by the 
 bolt when the hammer falls. Opening the breech-block operates a double 
 extractor which i.s without an accelerating device. This arm is used by the 
 line of the Belgian army. The first Berdan rifle adopted by the Russian 
 Government is a combination of the Braendhn Albini and the Chassepot. 
 The lock is in line of barrel, and it is worked by a spiral spring. Berdan's 
 later model is a bolt gun. He also invented a double-jointed block, which is 
 claimed to be the basis of the present Springfield model. 
 
 42. Austrian Womzel Rifle; calibre, .54;. 1870. 
 
 Action similar to that of Braeiullin Albini. By cocking the hammer, a 
 bolt attached to the tumbler is drawn back from its cavity in the body of 
 the breech-block. The breech-block is then raised by the handle on its 
 right. The bolt above referred to locks down the breech-block against the 
 strain of the discharge. The extractor slides along the side of the receiver, 
 being connected with a i)rojection on one of the hinge pieces of the breech- 
 block forward of the joint. The projection is cam-shaped, and beans against 
 a flat spring on the side of the receiver. This spring tends to keejt the breech- 
 block open until forcibly shut. The liammer .strikes a special firing-pin, 
 traversing the block diagonally to the lowest ])oint on the face of the Ijreech- 
 block. The cleaning implements accompany this piece. 
 
 43. Swiss Millbank Ansler ; calibre, .45 ; 1870. 
 
 Essentially like the Springfield rifle, the cam-latch in the gun stretching 
 across the full width of the receiver. Browned barrel and mountings. It has 
 no spring. There is no ejecting device. The hammer has no half-cock. 
 
 44. Springfield Eifle Musket; calibre, .50 ; model, 18G2. 
 
 Altered on Allen'.s plan. Leaf spring ejector stud. Five thousand of 
 these guns were made in 1865, as soon as the return of peace permitted the 
 attention of the Ordnance Department to be directed from the (juestion of 
 the immediate supply of the most easih' manufactured arms. Tlie arm is 
 the first of the series of alterations of the muzzle loading rifle musket which 
 have developed into the Springfield riflei, caliber, .4."), of the i)resent day. It 
 is opened by raising the cam-latch by means of the thumb-piece as at pres- 
 ent, fired by a side lock in the same way. It differs from the i)resent 
 gun mainly in the detail of its parts and in the extractor. This slides back 
 and forth in a groove cut in the side of the barrel. Upon its upi>er edge it 
 bears a rack into which meshes a series of similar teeth in a curved arm run- 
 ning up from the front of the breech-block. A spring serves to draw it Ijack. 
 The objection to this arrangement was its delicacy and the liability of the 
 stock to being blown away through tlie cut made for the extractor in case the 
 cartridge-head should burst. 
 
 45. Millbank's Alteration ol" Si)ringfield Muzzle Loader; 
 
 calibre, .58 ; 1866. 
 
 Block on side hinged in front, .swings to the right and forward. Block 
 is locked by point of hammer. 
 
W^ar Department Exhibit. 37 
 
 46. Miller's Alteration of Springfield ^Iiizzle Loader; cal- 
 
 ibre, .58; 1866. 
 
 Tlie breech-block, which is hinged above the l)arrel, is made with an L- 
 sliaped arm covering the mouth of tlie chamber, and provided with a tenon 
 entering a mortise in the bottom of the receiver. This mortise is a Uttle 
 longer than the tenon, and receives the lower end of a vertical bolt sliding in 
 the back surface of the breech-block. When this bolt is down, the mortise is 
 tilled and the breech can not be opened. When it is lifted sufficient space is 
 given for the tenon to clear the end of the mortise in opening. A spring 
 tends to keep the bolt always down. A projecting arm at its forward end 
 moves a sliding extractor in the side of the barrel. 
 
 47. Springfield Rifle Musket; calibre, .50; model, 1866. 
 
 Differs from Allin's alteration in the greater strength of its parts, and in 
 the extractor, which consists of a U-shaped spring against the side of the re- 
 ceiver. One point of this spring projects into the receiver, and catches against 
 the rim of the cartridge as the cartridge is passed into the chamber, ('losing 
 the breech-block compresses this spring, which is released on opening with 
 sufficient force to throw out the empty shell. The calibre of this liarrel is 
 reduced from .58 to ..30 by the insertion and brazing of a lining tube. 
 
 48. Springfield Rifle Musket; calibre, .50 ; model, 1868. 
 
 The main point of the improvement over the last arm consists in the use of 
 a separate receiver for the barrel and parts of the mechanism, and in the im- 
 provement of the extractor, which is the same as that now employed, a lever 
 turning on hinge pin and started positively by the block, the motion being 
 completed by an ejector spring acting on the extractor. 
 
 49. Springfield Rifle Musket; calibre, .50; 1870; E. S. 
 
 Allin's Improved Centre Lock. 
 
 The essential feature of this consists in its dispensing with the number of 
 ])arts forming the ordinary side lock. The main-spring in this case lies under 
 the receiver. The other parts lie beneatli the tang of the breech-screw. 
 
 50. Springfield Rifle "Officers;'' model, 1873. 
 
 Uetachable pistol grip, checked stock, peep and globe sight. 
 
 51. Springfield "Marksman's" Rifle; 1873. 
 
 Pistol grip, peep and globe sight, covered front sight with level attached. 
 
 52. Twenty Springfield Carbine service ; model, 1884; BufF- 
 
 ington sight. 
 
 A description of this sight is given later on. 
 
 53. Twenty Springfield Rifles; service model, 1884; with 
 
 Buffington sight. 
 
38 
 
 IVaf Department Exhibit. 
 
 54. Two Springfield Eifles, with ramrod bayonets, one bay- 
 onet round, latest model, 1886; the other triangular, 1873. 
 
 See Hall's carbine fur note of very early form of ramrod bayonet. Tlie 
 rod fits in the ramrod groove, and wbcn slii)])ed forward to serve as bayonet, 
 it is lield l)y spring eatches. 
 
 .■).'). Springfield Long Barrel Carbine; New model ; calibre, 
 .45; experimental, 1887. 
 
 Itarrel 1'4 inches long. Stock runs nearly whole length of i)arrel. Has 
 iiu liiwer band. Buffington sight. 
 
 50. Springfield Breech Loading Shot (Jun; model 1881. 
 
 This is a single barrel gun. Two are issued to each company in service, 
 fur hunting i>uri)Oses. 
 
 57. Kclton's Ilammerle^H Spriiigiield Kitle ; 1887. 
 
 In this model the lock is concealed in the breech-block. Opening the 
 block compresses the firing spring l)y means of a side lever and arm, as 
 
 Fig. 5. 
 shown in figure 5. The sear projects below the block and catches in the trig- 
 ger. For note of another hammerless device, sec Clemens' Magazine Spring- 
 field Gun, under head of " Repeating Arms." 
 
 The Kelton cartridge carrier block, shown below the gun in the figure, 
 is the latest device proposed for supplying cartridges readily to the soldier's 
 hand when armed with single loading guns. These devices, of which there 
 are several shown, form an intermediate stage in the progress towards the 
 magazine gun of the present day. They are usually called— 
 
 (JlIt'K LOADERS. 
 
 Some of these are fi.\ed to the stock, and others are detachable. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 39 
 
 58. Col. J. G. Benton's Quick Loader, Fixed; 1870. 
 
 The cartridges are placed point down in holes in the stock, which is en- 
 larged at the left of the receiver, tlie side of the breech-block having a pro- 
 jecting ledge to cover them when it is closed. 
 
 59. General Hagner's Quick Loader, Fixed ; 1874. 
 
 Fixed under butt stock. A perforated projecting block holds several 
 cartridges, points to the rear. 
 
 60. Jas. B. Stillinan's Quick Loader, Fixed ; 1874. 
 
 There are two forms, each consisting of a row of holes in the top of the 
 butt stock. In one form the cartridges are protected by a cover swinging 
 laterally. In the other by a cover turning \x\t on a horizontal hinge. 
 
 61. Ira Merriirs Quick Loader, Fixed; 1884. 
 
 In top of butt stock like .Stillman's, but instead of a row of holes, a mortise 
 is cut in top of the stock, and this is covered, except at the front end. A 
 spring within presses a follower forward to hold any cartridges that may be 
 put in, and to keep them near the opening ready to hand. 
 
 62. Col. Benton's Detachable Quick Loader; 1873. 
 
 This is a perforated block which can be attached to catches on the right 
 side of the stock near the receiver by means of a lever fastened to the block. 
 
 This resembles the Krnka quick loader, which recently was highly com- 
 mended in England. It is intended to be preserved and refilled. 
 
 63. Capt. Metcalfe's Detachable Quick Loader, and Cart- 
 
 tridge Packing Block. 
 
 This diflt'ers mainly from Col. Benton's in the method of attachment to 
 the gun, having the block itself free from mechanism, and in making the 
 block to serve for packing cartridges at the Armory for transportation. It 
 holds eight cartridges. It is intended to be thrown away when emptied. 
 
 64. General Kelton's Detachable Quick Loader ; 1887. 
 
 This is a block having two rows of holes, and made to attach below the 
 stock at the receiver, instead of at the side. The flange ends of the cartridges 
 are towards the right, near the right hand, for ease of withdrawal. Figure 5. 
 
 PISTOLS. 
 
 Thirty-six pistols are shown. 
 
 These are on boards from the Ordnance Office and National Armory. 
 They are of various kinds and sizes, muzzle and breech loaders, rifle and 
 smooth bore. Some pistols, and revolvers also, are used with a detachable 
 carbine-stock for firing from the shoulder. 
 
 ^* 
 
40 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 REPEATING ARMS. 
 
 Repeating anus here include revolving arms and magazine guns proper, 
 the latter arranged in three classes, according to form and position of the 
 \na.ga.7AnG:—txihnlnrm(t(jazinesinthe hutt-stock; tubular magazines under the 
 biirrcl; and wliat are here called box magazines, placed under, or beside the 
 receiver, with cartridges touching lengthwise instead of endwise. 
 
 Still earlier forms of repeating arms are first shown. 
 
 iVy. Ellis' Tlepeatin<r Flint Lock Muzzle Loading- Rifle; cal- 
 ibre, .54. 
 
 This illustrates one of the earliest forms of repeating arms. The barrel 
 has three vents along the side of the breech, with a single lock made to slide 
 hack and forth to bring the pan opposite one vent after another. It was in- 
 tended to put three loads in, one above another, with the wads between, the 
 l)owder of each load coming opposite one of the vents. On tiring the front 
 charge the lock would be slipped back to the next vent, and so on, firing 
 the rear charges in succession, if they had not gone off at the first shot. 
 
 66. Single Barrel Pistol, Percussion, firing two charges. 
 
 Similar to Ellis gun in method of loading, but provided with two ham- 
 mers, one longer than the other, to reach two nipples, one in advance of the 
 other. It was probably intended to force the bullets in tightly enough to 
 prevent flame from front charge igniting the rear one. Loaned by Capt. 
 Wachs, Covington, Ky., who also loaned a blunderbuss, fitted with a hinged 
 bayonet. 
 
 REVOL\JA(; ARMS. 
 
 Some sixty specimens are shown. The earliest revolvers were match- 
 locks, but there are no specimens of these in the exhibit. The earlier forms 
 had the cylinder extending the full length, and they required to be turned by 
 hand. Though Colt's revolvers were the first ones generally used which 
 turned the cj'linder automatically, earlier forms show this improvement 
 crudely. The chief point claimed in the original Colt patent was the central 
 fire, the nipples being placed in the axes of the barrels in the cylinder. An 
 old revolver, shown by the Bandle Gun Co., of Cincinnati, has four barrels, 
 each provided with a pan and cover for the single flint lock. 
 
 One great objection to the revolver system for anything but pistols is the 
 escape of gas at the joint between the cylinder and barrel, as this lessens the 
 range. The last specinien shown, the Swingle, combines a bolt with the cyl- 
 inder and pushes the cartridge into a chamber in the barrel. It is filled as 
 readily as some of the tubular magazine guns. Savage's revolver has a con- 
 trivance for pushing the cylinder against the barrel before firing, to shut ofl 
 escape of gas. 
 
 67. Plint Lock Kevolving Carbine; Pepper Box Pattern; 
 
 8 Shots. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 41 
 
 68. Revolving Percussion Pistol (Pepper Box); 6 Shots. 
 
 69. Whittier Revolving Rifle; date about 1835. 
 
 Cylinder has to be turned by hand. Has a single long barrel in front of 
 the revolving cylinder. 
 
 70. Cochran's Revolving Pistol. 
 
 Revolving chanabers; revolves by hand; hammer below; chambers ex- 
 tend radially from the centre. Cylinder is a flat di.sk, with chambers in the 
 curved surface, running radially from near the centre. Revolved by hand. 
 Hammer underneath. Paper cartridge, percussion. 
 
 Contributed by Colt's Pat. Fire Arms Co. 
 
 71. Cochran Revolving Rifle. 
 
 Similar construction to pistol first described. Has a disk holding nine 
 charges; revolveil by hand. Hammer underneath. Disk taken out to charge 
 by throwing \\\) strap which runs along top of stock. 
 
 Prom Colt's Arms Co. 
 
 72. Two Coifs Revolvers, of earliest pattern. 
 
 Used for paper ammunition. From Colt's Arms Co. 
 
 73. Colt's Revolving Rifle ; early pattern. 
 
 From Colt's Arms Co. 
 
 74. Colt's Revolving Shot Gun; No. 12 bore. 
 
 From Colt's Arms Co. 
 
 75. Colt's Revolving Rifle, five shots, with sword bayonet; 
 
 calibre, .56 ; 1857. 
 
 From National Armory. 
 
 76. Coifs Revolving Carbine, five shots; calibre, .56; 1857. 
 
 77. Eight Specimens of Colt's Revolver. 
 
 Showing the progression from the earlier forms used with paper cartridges 
 to the most recent used with metallic ammunition. Some show marks of 
 alteration from old form to new. 
 
 78. Wesson & Leavitt Revolver ; calibre, .35. 
 
 First revolver patented after Colt's. Made by Massachusetts Arms Co., 
 Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. 
 
 79. French Navy Revolver, Leraat pattern ; nine shots ; 
 
 central barrel for buckshot. 
 
 The extremitj' of the hammer is made with a joint, so that it can be 
 
J I '(7/ Department Exhibit. 
 
 turiKMl Mirwanl to tiif ilie chauilicrs, or turned down to fire the central barrel. 
 
 Loaned Ijy C. Breckenridge, Covington, Ky. 
 
 80. Tliivc .loslyii Ivi-volvcrs; calibre, .44 ; one skeletonized. 
 M. lOight Specimens of Ueniinulon Revolver. 
 
 Illustrating the developniL-nt from the time of paper cartridges to to-day. 
 Some forms liave the Hay safety device, a slide passing up in front of the 
 hammer to keep the latter nj) until tlie slide is withdrawn hy pressing the 
 trigger. 
 
 82. Heall Revolver; calilire, .44. 
 
 Hears close resemlilance to tiie Kemington. 
 
 88. Two Allen A: Wheelock Revolvers; calibre, .44. 
 
 Its main difference from the ordinary form of the Colt revolver, or of the 
 Kemington whidi it resend)les in having tlie cylinder inclosed by the frame, 
 consists in tiie position of tlu rammer lever, which is turned backward and 
 bent so as to form the trigger guard. 
 
 84. Adams Revolver (English); calibre, .44 ; patented 1856. 
 
 A self-cocking revolver, the hammer being raised by pulling tlie trigger. 
 
 85. Four Self Cocking Starr Revolvers. 
 
 The trigger is douljle. By continuing to pull on the forward trigger, 
 which raises the hammer and revolves the cylinder, tiie back of the trigger 
 strikes against the front of a rear trigger and causes the liannncr to fall. 
 
 8<). Two Dreyse Needle Revolvers; calibre,. 85 ; self cocking. 
 
 87. Four Savage Revolvers; calibre, .oC'25 ; self cocking. 
 
 By puUiiig l)ack tiie lever in the rear of tlie triggi'r, the cylinder is first 
 slightly retired from the barrel and then caused to revolve. Tiie hammer is 
 cocked at the same time. When the lever is released, the cylinder moves for- 
 ward slightly, so that the mouth of the nearest cliaiiii)cr may embrace the 
 butt of the l)arrel, made somewhat conical for this purpose. Tiie cylinder is 
 withdrawn by means of a toggle-joint, connected in its rear end, which is 
 lifted by a projection on the ujiper part of the lever. An arm, attached to 
 this end of the toggle, reaches forward and operates tlie ratchet. The stop- 
 ratchet is formed on the body of the cylinder, back of the cones. The oper- 
 ation of the moving parts, which is very interesting, may be readih' seen by 
 removing the j)late on tlie left of the lock. 
 
 88. PettengilFs Revolver; calibre, .44; Double Action, 
 
 Hammerless\ 
 8-). Two JA'tauciieux Revolvers (Frenclij; calibre, .35; 
 
 Fin Fire. 
 
 By opening the gate on the right side, the rear chambers are exposed and 
 
War Department Exhibit. 43 
 
 an opportunity given to insert the cartridges. Tlie empty cartridge shells 
 are pushed out to the rear iiy sliding a rod on the frame. The cylinder stop 
 consists of a pin plying hack and forth in the face of the hreech. It arrests 
 the movement of the cylinder hy striiving against projections on tlie face of 
 the cylinder between the chamhers. In conseijuence of M. Lefauelieu.v's 
 early invention of this pin-tire cartridge, this is one of the earliest breech- 
 loading revolvers using metallic ammunition. The tl•ig^■er folds up when 
 not in use. 
 
 90. Cliristienseii Ilevolver (Danish ) ; calibre, .4.") ; pin lire. 
 
 The hinged gate in rear of the right side of the cylinder allows the cham- 
 her to lie loaded with a i>in tire ( Ijefancheux) cartridge. The stop operates 
 against a series oi inclined ratchet teeth formed on the liody of the cylinder. 
 The trigger folds up when not in use. The butt contains an oil cavity closed 
 hy a screw stopper which has an internal stem to take ui> the oil one drop at 
 a time. An eye is formed in the frame immediately in the rear of the ham- 
 mer, by which the pistol is fastened to the person hy alangard. 
 
 01. 'J'liree Perrin Revolver!-; (French) ; calil)er, .44. 
 
 The cartridges arc i)iserted through the gate in the rear of the cylinder 
 on the i-ight. The tumlik'r is without any notch, the hammer falling at the 
 moment that the " lift " of the trigger i.s accomplislied. It may be kept o^ 
 the cai'tridgc by means of a wedge pressed in hy a spring so as to block its 
 fall. The wedge is out of the way when the liamnuT falls in (iring. The pis- 
 tol uses a central lire cartridge, instead of the pin lire Lefaucheux cartridge 
 for whi<h it was originally made. 
 
 92. tSliari)^ Revolver ; calibre, .44. 
 
 Opened liy swinging liarrel sideways. Sauu." as Wesson's, except in mode 
 of opening. 
 
 93. Smith tind Wes.son Revolver. 
 
 r>y raising the barrel latch in the rear of an<l above tlie cylinder, the 
 harrel may be turned down al)out a horizontal axis in front of the lower part 
 of the cylinder. The iiarrel in turning down carries with it the cylinder, 
 and at the same time a siutft running through the axle of the cylinder is 
 driven to the rear, pushing out the empty shells by a projecting plate on the 
 real- end. When pushed out far enough to renujve the shells, this extractor 
 springs forward into place, and gives room for inserting more cartridges. 
 
 94. Smith and Wesson Revolver; ctilibre, 48; Russian 
 
 model. 
 
 95. Scholield. Smith ;ind Wesson Revolver; calibre, .45; 
 
 r. S. Service pattern. 
 
 This arm diliers principally from Smith and Wesson, in the I'orm of 
 the extractor and of the harrel latch, the latter lieing hinged to the frame, in- 
 stead of the l)arrel, of the cylinder catch. The height of the front sight is 
 also reduced by placing it in a groove along the top of the harrel. 
 
44 
 
 IVar Depatimciit Exhibit. 
 
 96. Sniirli :in(l TTesson's Army Revolver, witli Kelton's 
 Safety Stop attachment. 
 
 As shown in figure 6, the handle of the revolver has a tliumb-jiiece on the 
 right. This serves two purposes. First, it steadies the revolver by giving 
 a lirni grasp with the aid of the thumb. Second, it prevents firing the piece 
 until the trigger is pulled. For this purpose the thumb-piece is hinged at the 
 
 Fig. li. 
 forward end on a shaft, which extends into the frame of the handle and 
 keeps the hammer from falling until the thumb-piece is pressed down. This 
 is the invention of Bvt. Brig.-Gen'l J. C. Kelton, U. 8. A. 
 
 97. Kelton's Cartridge Pack tor Smith tt Wesson Revolvers. 
 
 Fig. '■ Fig. S. 
 
 This is shown in figures 7 and S. Figure 7 shows the packagi', and figure 8 
 shows it partudly inserted in the barrels of the cvlinder. The cartridges are 
 
War Department Exhibit. 45 
 
 arranged around a central stem, and held bj'- a paper band, or by a brass 
 strap with a simple catch. The packages are carried in cylindrical boxes at- 
 tached to tlie waist or shoulder belt, and when the revolver is opened they 
 can l)e readily taken from the belt and ))nshed into the cylinder. Tlie band 
 or strap is readily loosened, and die central stem falls out. This gives a ready 
 means of reloading tlie cylinder. 
 
 98. Swingle Revolving Repeating Eifle; 1880. 
 
 This is a bolt gun with a revolving cylinder beneath the bolt. This cylin- 
 der, instead of holes parallel to the axis, has grooves in its outer surface, as 
 in the Lowell and other machine guns, and the bolt works through one 
 after the other in succession. The cylinder is supplied with cartridges 
 through an opening on tlie right hand side as in the Colt hreech loading 
 revolver. 
 
 TUBULAR MAGAZINES IN THE BUTT-STOCK. 
 
 The earliest example of this kind known is a match lock gun of the isth 
 century. It had two tubular magazines running lengthwise of the butt stock 
 as m later models, one holding powder for the charge and the oth^ powder 
 for priming, the bullets being inserted singly. A. revolving disk, turning like 
 the Cochran, round an axis perpendicular to the barrel, but horizontal iiistead 
 of vertical, served to close the breech and the tubes. A chamber in the cir- 
 cumference allowed the insertion of a ball from underneath the gun. The 
 disk was then turned to carry the hole past the magazine openings, muzzle of 
 gun held down to let the powder drop in, and was then set to bring the 
 chamber opposite the barrel. 
 
 99. Spencer Carbine; old model ; calibre, .52; skeletonized. 
 
 This gun was introduced in 1860. It was the earliest magazine gun used 
 in actual war. Ninety-four thousand one hundred and fifty-six were pur- 
 chased for use in the army during the Civil War. Used a rim-fire metallic 
 cartridge. A lever underneath, swinging down and forward, draws down the 
 breech-block and swings it backward far enough for a cartridge to slip over 
 the block from the magazine in rear, a spring finger above tlie mouth of the 
 magazine keeping the cartridge from slipping out. Swinging the lever for- 
 ward, pushes the cartridge in and closes the breech. Fired by an independ- 
 ent hammer striking a slide in the block and driving it against the nm of 
 cartridge. By a button underneath the swing of the lever can be limited so 
 that a cartridge will not be admitted from the magazine, and the gun can 
 then be used as a single loader. A narrow plate hinged to the block serves as 
 extractor, and the shell is forced out by sliding up the inclined finger winch 
 covers the magazine. A tube containing a spiral spring can be drawn out 
 from the rear, allowing cartridges to lie dropped into the nuigazine. Return- 
 ing the tube to place brings the pressure of the spring upon the cartridges to 
 force them forward. The spring has a head, or " follower " at the end to bear 
 upon the cartridge, and this is common to all spring magazines. 
 
46 Wat Department Exhibit. 
 
 100. Spencer Repeatin.ii- Rifle; calibre, .oO ; altered from 
 
 ( "arldne. 
 
 Siimc system as above. 
 
 101. Scoti or 'ri-ijilcii Maiiazine Rifle ; calibre, .50 ; about 
 
 187(»; >h'riiliaii .MamiCact iirin^; ("o.. ^Nferidian. 
 
 The iiias^aziiie in butt stuck; barrel revolves on parallel axis beiieatli it 
 until opposite nioutli of magazine, when it receives its charge. 
 
 |(»-J. Clciiu'iis Maiiazine Rifle '' Springfield System;" 1S78. 
 
 Tiie magazine in tlii.s gun is plaecd in a groove in tlie left side of the butt 
 stoek, and it runs up to the side wall of the receiver, which has an opening 
 to allow cartridges to slip obliquely from the magazine towards the firing 
 chamber. A coiled spring at the side of the magazine works a flexible plunger 
 to force the cartridges forward. Rather complicated mechanism, somewhat 
 on the order of the first Allin model for the Springfield (No, 49 above), is 
 needed to throw the empty shell clear of the magazine and draw a cartridge 
 from the magazine to the chamber. This gun shows a hammeriess breech- 
 lilock. \t is converted from the regular block with little exterior change. A 
 side lever, as in the Kelton hammeriess gun above <lescribcd (No. 57), pushes 
 l)ack the liring-pin and c(>m|iresses a sjiring in the block, liut instead of hav- 
 ing a sear beU)W, the tiring-i>in jirojccts from the rear of the block iis in the 
 service moilel, and a shoulder there catches on a spring plate which is jiresscd 
 out by nK)vement of the trigger, releasing the firing-pin. The description of 
 this gun in Report of Chief of Ordnance for 1878 does not refer to the " ham- 
 mciless" device. Other attem])ts to make a magazine gun of the Springheld 
 are there noted. 
 
 10."). Hotchkiss Magazine Rille; calibre, ..4."). 
 
 See Report of (,'hief of Ordnance for 1882. This gun was introduced about 
 1879. It is a bolt gun similar to the Mauser. The slot in the receiver is 
 curved at its junction with the front and rear shoulders. The l)olt is hence 
 gently checked just before it is pushed home, preventing sliock on the head 
 of the cartridge, and making the oyieration more continuous than with s(|uare 
 shoulders. The front curve also rams the bolt backward in beginning 
 tf) o]>en, and so starts the shell, which can then be readily drawn out. 
 This action, now used in other bolt guns, was claimed by Hotchkiss as 
 his invention. The magazine, in the l)Utt-stock like the Spencer, runs under 
 instead of over the breech piece, and brings the cartridge into the receiver 
 through an inclined opening in the liottom. A spiral spring is used with fol- 
 lower. Centre (ire cartridges are used. To insert them the bolt has to be 
 oi>ened, and tliey are pushed in through the chamber, endwise, singly, butt 
 end first. By a lever at one side the bnlt can be locked shut for security, and 
 the hannner held from striking. .V lever at the other side shuts ufl' the 
 nuigazine when necessary for use as a single loader. It is a remarkal)iy 
 simi)le gun, and it avoids having an extra piece to serve as carrier for trans- 
 
Wiif Department Exhibit. 47 
 
 fer of cartridges from the magazine. A peculiar feature is a trigger with a 
 hollow or curved stem where it passes round the magazine. Stops connected 
 witli the trigger check and release cartridges in the magazine at the i)roi)cr 
 time. 
 
 104. Chaffee Reece Magazine Rifle; calibre, .45; 1881. 
 
 See Report of Chief of Ordnance 1882. The ])osition of the magazine 
 is nearly the same as in the Hotchkiss, hut in jilace of having a spring in 
 the magazine, the cartridges are forced forward by .studs on a bar at the side 
 of the magazine tube. This bar is moved l)ack and forth by a projection on 
 the bolt. Another bar, which does not move lengthwise, has corresponding 
 studs, and it is kept pressed in by a spring, the studs on this bar keeping 
 cartridges from slipping back when the first bar moves back. The recipro- 
 cating bar thus draws the cartridges forward, by regular successive steps, dis- 
 tances equal to their own length. Tlie front cartridge, before the breech is 
 opened, lie.s in a hollow under the bolt, far enough forward to be pushed up 
 and into the chamber as the bolt is pushed in after opening. A hinged gate 
 in the butt plate can be thrown open to admit cartridges in filling the maga- 
 zine tube. This gate in opening acts u))on the studded rods to force them out 
 from the tube, and allow cartridges to be dropped clear in without striking 
 the studs. 
 
 TUBULAR MAGAZINES UNDF^R THE BARREL. 
 
 105. Henry Magazine Rifle — Sliding Carrier Block ; calibre, 
 
 .42; old model. 
 
 This system was invented about 1850, l)ut it was slow in conung 
 into use, until developed about 1866 into the form of the Winchester gun 
 next described. The gun is operated by a lever swinging forward below. 
 This acts on an elbow joint which works the bolt back and forth. An arm 
 connected with the lever causes a carrier-block to slide up and down, trans- 
 ferring the cartridges from the level of the magazine to that of tlie barrel 
 when the liolt is liack, and drop))ing the lilock when the bolt is forward, 
 and a cartridge pusiied into tlie chambcT. Tlic magazine is charged from 
 the front. The tube is in two sections, tlie muzzle part nuide to swing round 
 to the side to clear the mouth of the magazine tidie; the spring being first 
 pushed ui) into this part l)y means of a tliund)-i)iece attached to the follower, 
 and projecting through a slot cut lengthwise in the magazine tube. Cart- 
 ridges can then be dropped into the tube. A niagaziiH; under the barrel 
 gives room for more cartridges than one in the butt-stock. 
 
 106. Winchester INfagazine Rifle ; calibre, .45 ; military 
 
 model, 187G. 
 
 This differs from the Henry gun, from which it was develojied, mainly in 
 the method of filling the magazine. Instead of having a movable nmzzle 
 section, the tube is continuous, and an opening at the rear covered by a 
 spring ijlate allows the insertion of cartridges one at a time even when the 
 
48 War Depatiinent Exhibit. 
 
 gun is l(ja(ie«l. Xo otiier means of loading is provided than this method 
 through the magazine This gun attracted mucli attention abroad when 
 (irstmade, about 18(30, and it was adopted in Switzerland, where it was aft- 
 erward displaced by the Vetterlin, next described, constructed on the same 
 magazine principle. The Winchester is very popular for sporting purposes, 
 where small cartridges can be used. Its operation depends on good work- 
 mansliip, and it is a fine piece of meclianism. The length of tlie breech sys- 
 tem j.revents its being used to best effect for long cartridges. 
 
 107. 8\\iss Vetterlin ^Magazine Rifle; calibre, .40 ; about 
 1868; adopted bj^ Switzerland for its Corps d'Elite. 
 
 This is a simple bolt gun, the bolt operating a sliding carrier block like 
 tiiat of the Winchester, from which magazine system it is derived. The 
 same remarks as to filling the magazine and loading apply to this as to the 
 Winchester. The bolt differs from the Mauser bolt in having the handle 
 near tiie rear and bent down by the side of the stock, two lugs on the turning 
 post of the bolt, near the rear, catching the shoulders in the breech frame. 
 This rear position of the bolt is an advantage in magazine guns. The firing 
 spring is spiral, as in the Mauser, but made large and heavy, though short, 
 and ]jlaced in the rear instead of the front part of the bolt. Tliis makes an 
 enlargement in rear and gives a clumsy look. 
 
 108. AVard Burton Magazine Rifle; calibre, .45; 1873; 
 
 rocking carrier. 
 
 The bolt meclianism of this gun is the same as that of tlie single loader 
 above described (No. 28). Like that guii the handle is placed at the rear of 
 the bolt, and a stop is provided to hold the handle half turned, thereby giving 
 a half-cock. The magazine is a tube under the barrel with spring and fol- 
 lower as above described, but instead of a sliding carrier block, a rocking car- 
 rier of spoon-shape is used. This spoon is made to rock on horizontal bear- 
 ings at tiie rear. Its front end is forced down by the bolt in moving forward, 
 and up by the bolt in moving backward, striking projections at the rear end. 
 The spooii when down receives a cartridge from the magazine, and when up 
 it holds the cartridge inclined upwards towards the chamber, about at the 
 ]>osition and slope of the front cartridge in tlie Hotchkiss, with the flange end 
 raised snfHciently for the bolt to strike the upper edge in going forward, and 
 so push the cartridge into the chamber. A side lever operates to hold the 
 spoDH u]), and cut off the magazine when desired for use of gun as single 
 Inailcr. Instead of loading the magazine from an outside opening in rear^ 
 wliirh allows the magazine to be filled even when the gun is loaded, as 
 in the Winchester and Vetterlin, cartridges have to be inserted through the 
 receiver, and for this purpose the bolt must be drawn back, unloading the 
 gun. Cartridges are put in endwise, singly, point first. The magazine 
 mechanism is indicated in the cuts illustrating the new German and French 
 magazine guns, next described, to which the remarks about loading, etc., 
 also apply. 
 
IVar Dcfarlvievt F.xJiibii. 
 
 49 
 
 109. Mauser Maiiaziue (inn; new (liennari model; cal- 
 ibre, .43. 
 
 This is practically ilic Mauser single li)atliiiii- iiiccliaiiisni with a magazine* 
 uf tlie Ward Burton typo, having a rocking carrier or spoon. This is com- 
 monly known as the Kropatchcck system, which, however, was not known 
 
 until aliout 1878, Miiile the Ward r.urto'ii was tried in this countrv in 1873. 
 
 Fig. 10. 
 
 Figure 9 shows tlie Mauser magazine gun in longitudinal section, with 
 Ijolt drawn back and spoon up. Figure 10 shows the same with holt closed 
 and spoon down. A projection below the nose of the spoon serves to prevent 
 cartridges from slipping under the spoon from tlie magazine, and a detent 
 operates when the spoon is down to prevent a second cartridge from follow- 
 ing tlie first into the spoon. A cut-ofi' operates in a similar manner as in the 
 Ward Burton gun. The rifle is 4-fcet :j inches long, and with the bayonet o 
 feet 11 inches long. With the magazine empty the gun weighs about 10 
 pounds; witb it filled, about 11 pounds. The bayonet weighs 1.7fi pound.s. 
 The trigger mechanism is so arranged that a gradual pull on tlie trigger finally 
 disengages the tumbler and permits the firing pin to fly forward. The maga- 
 zine holds 8 cartridges end to end. "J'he service cartridge weighs GG3 grains. 
 It is 3.07 inches long. Later cartridges contain SOW grains of powder. Re- 
 duction of calibre is now going on, and its advantages will be discussed under 
 Anuuunition. The French gun next described is of reduced calibre. 
 
5° 
 
 JV(7/ Dcparttnent Exhibit. 
 
 110. The Lebel Magazine Gun ; new French model ; calibre, 
 .304 ; represented only by drawings and description. 
 
 Tliis is pruotically tlie Freiu-li Gras rille fitted with tlie Kropatoheck (or 
 Ward Burton) magazine, and the same general remarks a])ply here as to tlie 
 Mauser gun, just described. The new bolt has double lugs, as ia the Lee 
 bolt, to take up the recoil on both sides the receiver. 
 
 Fig. 12. 
 Figure 11 shows the spoon down, with a cartridge lying in it received 
 from the magazine. The bolt is partly pulled back, drawing out an empty 
 shell, in the position just before tilting up the spoon with the new cartridge 
 to the position shown in figure 12. For description of cartridge and results 
 with it, see under Ammunition. 
 
 111. Spencer Repealing Sliot (iiiii; 12 bore; 1881. 
 
 The breech-block in tliis gun resembles the Peabody, it lieing hinged in 
 rear, and made to move up and down in front. Its special pecidiarity lies in 
 the arrangement for operating the block by means of a .sliding handle on the 
 magazine tube under the barrel. This handle is connected with fiat bars, 
 which extend to the rear, into the receiver and along the breech-block. A 
 stud on the inner side of one rod fits in an inclined groove in the side of the 
 
War Department Exhibit, 51 
 
 breech-block, so that sliding the handle back wedges down the block to open 
 the breech. Immediately after this, an extractor is operated by the bar on 
 the other side to remove the empty shell. When the handle is well back 
 the block is thrown up by a sprin.a;. tossing the slu'U out above. While the 
 block is up, a cartridge underneath, received fmin the magazine below the 
 barrel, is pushed in by moving forward the slide, and the breech is closed. 
 The magazine is filled from underneath the breech-block. 
 
 112. Colt's Magazine Rille; calibre, .22; 1887. 
 
 This gun is also operated by a handle sliding on the magazine tube under the 
 barrel, but the breech action is a bolt system, instead of the falling block. A 
 bar, attached to the slide, works a lever connected with a cam latch, which 
 is hinged at its forward end to the under side of the bolt towards the rear. 
 When the bolt is closed, the rear end of this cam latch drops into a depression 
 under the bolt in the bottom of the frame, and abuts against a shoulder in 
 the frame, securing the bolt. Drawing back the handle raises the cam latch 
 over the shoulder and then pushes back the bolt so freed. Forcing the handle 
 to the front draws the bolt forward and finally swings the cam latch down 
 again, locking the bolt. A spring extractor on the bolt withdraws the empty 
 shell. A sliding carrier block, moving like that in the Winchester and Vet- 
 terlin, transfers cartridges from tlie magazine. The rear end of the magazine 
 tube can be swung slightly to the right to insert cartridges, a spring plate 
 sectiring them from springing out. This gun was used during the Exposi- 
 tion, in the shooting gallery of the War Department, in determining prac- 
 tically the velocity of projectiles. Loaned by B. Kittredge Arms Company, 
 Cincinnati. 
 
 BOX MAGAZINES NEAR THE RECEIVER. 
 
 CARTRIDGES TOUCHING LENGTHWISE INSTEAD OF END TO END. 
 
 These magazines are either detachable, so as to be readily replaced ; or 
 fixed in place and arranged to be rapidly refilled by means of compact pack- 
 ing cases. The Lee, is the best known of the box magazine guns. It has a 
 detachable magazine, the only one shown of this type. The other type is now 
 coming into prominence from its recent adoption in some form by several 
 nations. One great advantage of the box magazine is that the bullet of one 
 cartridge does not rest against the primer of another, and so the possibility 
 is removed of exploding a cartridge in the magazine, or injuring the bullet, 
 by shock from another cartridge. If necessary a spring plate can be placed 
 front or rear to lessen all shock. In some, an opening at the side allows in- 
 spection of the interior. They work without carrier-block or spoon, though 
 some, like the Rubin, have a catch operated by the bolt to check and release 
 cartridges. The chief advantage, however, is that it enables the supply of 
 cartridges to be rapidly renewed. This becomes more and more apparent 
 with the reduction of calibre and lengthening of the cartridge. While box 
 magazines avoid the slow process of inserting cartridges one at a time end- 
 wise, some even of these fail in a point covered in several tubular magazines 
 —the power to refill when the gun is loaded— and require tlie refilling to be 
 done through the receiver with the bolt drawn back. 
 
War Department Exhibit, 
 
 113. Lee Magazine Rifle ; calibre, .45 ; 1870. 
 
 This is a bolt gun, with an opening the length of a cartridge in the l)()t- 
 toni of the receiver, just hack of the barrel, and it has a detachable magazine 
 which is inserted from below. 
 
 Figure 13 is a longitudinal section showing the magazine in position. 
 Figure 14 is a cross section of the gun, with the magazine removed, showing 
 the opening through the stock nnder the receiver for the insertion of the 
 magazine. Several of these magazines are carried on a belt. Tliev are each 
 
 Fig. 13. 
 
 Fig. U. 
 provided with a spring and follower within to force the cartridges w\>. and 
 they arc filled up in advance by the soldier, as it is intended that they 
 should be saved. They have to be stron.s, and they must be made care- 
 fully, as tliey form, when attacVied. a working part of the mechanism, and a 
 slight deformation would interfere with their ojieration. When a magazine 
 on the .gun is emptied, it is di'opped out by pressing a spring, and a new one 
 already filled is inserted. A magazine holds five cartridges of our service 
 model, calibre .45, but more of smaller calibre could be carrieil. The gun can 
 be used as a single loader when the magazine is off, as a spring plate then covers 
 the bottom of the receiver. A recent a<ldition made for the proposed arm of 
 the English service, allows this plate to come in play even when the magazine 
 is on the .gun but not forced up into jiosition for feeding. This magazine can 
 
JVar Department Exhibit, 
 
 ^l 
 
 be filled when on the gun, if the holt is drawn out and the gun linlnaded. 
 See Report of Chief of Ordnance for 1SS2. 
 
 114. The Rnbiu Maiiazine (iiiii ; Swiss; 18S8. 
 
 This has a magazine set like the Lee uinler tlie receiver, hut fixed in 
 place. To fill it the bolt has to be drawn our, and cartridges are inserted 
 through the receiver. Tliey can be put in singly, or, by means of the prepared 
 package shown in side and bottom views in Figure 15, can all be inserted to- 
 gether. A spring gate, similar to that in the ne.\t gun described, admits cart- 
 ridges at the top of the magazine, but this gate has to be worked by the bolt 
 to release cartridges for loading. The gun could not be obtained for exhibit, 
 but cartridges and [jacking cases were sentfrmu the National Armory, where 
 the gun is now on trial. 
 
 Fig. 1.5. 
 This package or case, liolding 7 t'artridges, is made of light tin, antl the 
 cartridges are lield in by flexible lips at the open bottom. When the case is 
 placed over the magazine, the cartridges are ])ushed down ])y the thumb or 
 finger, passing through the slot in the case, and the lips yield, allowing the 
 cartridges to pass at oiu^e to the magazine. These cases are light and cheap, 
 and they require no s])ring. Tliey can be carritul like detachable magazines on 
 the belt ; and cartridges can l)e i)acked in tiiem at the arsenals for issue to the 
 soldiers. The idea involved in tlie fixed magazine so filled is, that it is prefer- 
 able to have a magazine that can he rapi<lly fiUe<1, and that will form a part of 
 the gun, receiving thesauu' care as the gini itself, than to rini the risk of losing 
 a detachable magazine, or damaging it, so reducing the gun to a single loader- 
 
 115. Livermore-Russell Ma^nziiuWJuii ; ]S70. 
 
 The uuigazine is ])laced at the side, extending downward, as shown in 
 Figure 16, an opening at the side of the receiver, admitting cartridges from 
 the magazine to the front of the bolt when drawn Ijack ; but the special feature 
 is the spring-gate at the top, clo.sing an outer mouth. This ailows cartridges 
 to be inserted singly, or, by means of a packing case, all together, even when 
 the gun is loaded; l)ut prevents their exit there and guides them towards the 
 
54 
 
 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 other opening leading to the receiver. The feed of the magazine can be cut off 
 by a stop, which simply keeps the bolt from drawing Itack far enough to catch 
 the flange of a cartridge, and the gun can tlien be used as a single loader. The 
 magazine feeds cartriilgcs witliout the use of special mechanism operated by 
 the bolt. 
 
 Fig. 16. Fig. l-". 
 
 The position of the magazine allows an opening to be made in the side 
 through which the soldier can sec how many cartridges remain in reserve. 
 
 The packing case described above for filling such magazines was originally 
 made for this gun. Fig. 17 represents the original design practically identical 
 with that shown in Fig. In. Norton's "American Inventions in Fire Arras," 
 published by Ticknor & Co. in 1882, says of this gun as originally designed : 
 "The object of the invention is two-fold : First, to provide a magazine which 
 can be rapidly filled, whether the gun is loaded or not, without necessarily 
 detaching it from the gun. Second, to provide a breech-closing bolt system 
 which can be oi)erated by a simple forward and back niotion of the hand." 
 The latter arrangement was intended to secure (juick action of the bolt and 
 greater rapidity of firing from the magazine. The bolt system referred to by 
 Norton is quite similar to that of the new Mannlicher gun recently adopted 
 in Austria and next described, but the gun in the exhibit has practically the 
 Mauser or Hotchkiss bolt. 
 
 116. Mannlicher (Austrian) Magazine Gun ; 1888. 
 
 In the Mannlicher gun the bolt is operated by a simple forward and back 
 motion of the hand, all other military bolt guns in use requiring the bolt to 
 be turned to secure it after closing, or to unlock it for opening. Figure 18 
 shows a longitudinal section of this gun. The handle is indicated by the 
 round knob at the rear, connected with a piece which slides in and out at the 
 end of the bolt, and whioh has a wedge-shaped projection below. Hinged at 
 the front to the under side of the l)olt, in rear of the magazine, is a brace, or 
 cam latch, shown in the drawing, and the wedge ai)ove referred to works in a 
 slot in the rear of this brace, forcing the latter down when the bolt is pushed 
 well forward, and securing it against a shoulder in the frame of the gun, as 
 here shown. Drawing back the handle raises the brace by inclined projecting 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 55 
 
 lips on the wedge, and allows the bolt to slip back. This method of locking 
 the bolt by a brace or cam has been adopted in the Colt magazine gun above 
 
 Kis. 18. 
 
 iig. 111. 
 described. The Mannliclicr iiKi^jiziiu' is iiiuicr the locciver, and to HII il tiit- 
 
56 
 
 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 bolt has to be drawn back. A special cartridge feed case is used w itli this 
 gun, as shown in Figure 19. 
 
 This case liolds the flange entls only of the cartridges, and the tujj one 
 alone can move forward. The whole package, case and all, is inserted from 
 above into the magazine, tlie spring in the magazine acting through tlie case 
 on the cartridges. The emptied case either falls out at the bottom of tiu- 
 magazine or it is forced out by inserting another full case. Cartridges can 
 not lie inserted one at a time into the magazine, as the case forms part of 
 the meciianism to control the cartridges, making a sort of cross between a 
 detachable and fi.ved magazine. There seems to be no provisio7i for using 
 the gun as a single loader. 
 
 117. St'liullioir Magazine dun (Aiit-trian Invention); 1888. 
 
 The .Schulhoflf magazine gun, also an Austrian invention, is shown in 
 Figure 20. Its construction is novel and interesting. The magazine is a fixed 
 hollow drum under the receiver. An a.xial shaft nearly parallel to the barrel 
 
 Fig. 20. 
 
 runs through tbe drum, and lliis carries a radial plate which revolves witli 
 the shaft and acts as a " follower," pushing before it cartridges placed in the 
 magazine, and delivering them at an opening in the bottom of the receiver, 
 where they can be caught by the bolt in loading. An oi>ening on the right 
 hand side of the magazine allows cartridges to be inserted, and a hinged lid 
 closes the ojiening. The shaft is turned by a spiral spring round the front end. 
 
 The figure is a jierspective view of the gun, showing the lid of magazine 
 open, and exposing the interior with its shaft, follower and spring. 
 
 Figure 21 is a cross section, actual size, through the magazine full of (;art- 
 ridges, as seen looking from the front. The lid is shown closed. 
 
 Figure 22 is a cross section, reduced size, just in rear of the magazine, 
 looking towards the front, showing that the lid in opening is made to re- 
 
IVaf^ Department Exhibit. 
 
 57 
 
 volve the shaft to a position where the follower clears the entrance. Closinj,' 
 the lid releases the shaft and brings the pressure from the spring against the 
 cartridges. 
 
 The rartriihic ca.^rx described above are also used to rapidly lill the Schul- 
 hoff magazine, but loose cartridges can be thrown in readily. " This magazine 
 holds nine of the new small calibre cartridges. Like Xo. 115 above, it is un- 
 necessary to unload the piece to till the magazine; but in the ScliulhotTit is 
 
 necessary to make a separate motion to open the magazine for insertion of 
 cartridges. This magazine might have an opening round the drum to show 
 the number of cartridges in reserve. The gun is a natural development from 
 the Swingle revolving gun. No. 98. The " cut-oif " for the magazuie is a slide, 
 the handle of which is indicated in Fig. 24, on the side opposite the lid. It 
 
 is bent to the outer surface of the drum, and pushing the handle, slips it 
 round so that the end comes over the opening into the receiver. In the 
 model here shown it seems to interfere with the extraction of the empty 
 shell. Limiting the retraction of the bolt, as described above, would answer 
 for this or anv other svstem of box magazine. 
 
IVat Depatiment Exhibit. 
 
 Schulhoff Magazine Pistol. A pistol is constructed by Schulhotf with a 
 magazine working on the same principle. It has a bolt mechanism, which is 
 operated by the trigger. The trigger is double, and pressure on the forward 
 part draws out the bolt, ejecting the old shell, and then closes the bolt, push- 
 ing in a new cartridge. Further motion of this trigger causes it to strike the 
 second trigger and tire the pistol. The same kind of cartridge case is used to 
 fill the pistol magazine as is used for the rifle. 
 
 The Schulhotf and Mannlicher guns, together with the Gras and Vctterlin, 
 were obtained through the special efforts of Capt. Henry Metcalfe, Ordnance 
 Dept. at the U. S. Military Academy. 
 
 A form of box magazine, which has recently attracted much attention, is 
 the Burton. It has a side hopper, extending above the barrel, feeding cart- 
 ridges down by gravity. No model of this system could be obtained. 
 
 REVIEW OF MAGAZINE GUNS. 
 
 A progression is here shown from magazines requiring special carriers, or 
 movable guides, to transfer the cartridges from the magazine to the barrel, — 
 first, the spring guide of the Spencer, which often gave trouble ; next the 
 sliding carrier of the Henry and Winchester, followed in the Vctterlin ; then 
 the rocking carrier of the Ward Burton. Kropatcheck, and the new French 
 and German Guns, — to systems requiring no special carrier, the Hotchkiss 
 butt-stock magazine, and, lastly, the box magazines, which now operate 
 universally without a carrier. A device has been patented, by which the 
 carrier is dispensed with, even for a tubular magazine under the barrel, but 
 of its success nothing is reported. Some tubular magazines run along the 
 top or side of the barrel. One of the earliest box magazines — the Lccwe- — 
 was placed at the side or wrapped round the stock at the receiver, with a 
 rocking piece at the mouth to transfer cartridges. To fill the magazine the 
 follower spring had to be compressed by hand, and the mouth-piece thrown 
 back to admit cartridges. There was no automatic device to keep cartridges 
 from slipping out. Both the butt stock and box magazines, on account of 
 having cartridges nearer the shoulder, the point of motion, have advantage 
 over the other in changing the balance less as the shots are fired away. The 
 box magazine gives the best opportunities for inspecting the interior to see 
 how raanj' cartridges remain. 
 
 Different theories are held about the proper use of magazines, and even 
 as to the propriety of their use at all. The Russian authorities have decided 
 against a magazine rifle. Some hold that a simple breech loader is sufficient, 
 with means for quickly finding and inserting a cartridge, taking the ground 
 that with the possibility of firing more rapidly too much ammunition will be 
 wasted, without the means of supplying it in sufiicient ([uantities. The re- 
 duction of calibre makes it possible for the soldier to carry more cartridges, 
 and they can be supplied in greater quantities with the same means of trans- 
 portation as before. It is certainly true tliat the box magazine is the only one 
 that can compete with the best single loaders in continuous firing, on account 
 of the time required to replenish the otliers. It is rarely the case, how- 
 
War Department Exhibit. 59 
 
 ever, that it is necessary to keep up a rapid fire for more than a short inter- 
 val ; and some advocates of the magazine, holding that it should only he used 
 as a reserve in case of such emergency, think it unnecessary to provide for 
 rapidly refilling it; but others recognize the possibility of a succession of 
 emergencies demanding power of rapidly replenishing the magazhie, but not 
 requiring it to be used for ordinary fire. 
 
 The great problem seems to be to provide a means of controlling the use 
 of the magazine. Detachable magazines and packing cases for rapid relilling 
 seem to promise well for this purpose, and the advantage of being able to in- 
 spect the magazine through open sides is recognized. The Mannlicher sys- 
 tem would perhaps allow greatest control over the number of cartridges so 
 used, as no means are provided for putting cartridges in singly, and the use 
 of packages can be readily observed; but it may often be desirable to refill a 
 partly emptied magazine, and the need to load singly is often imperative, for 
 no system allows replenishing as quickly as a single shot can be put in, and 
 the soldier would be at a disadvantage when his magazine was emptied if he 
 must needs wait till the magazine was filled again. He should be able to fill 
 his magazine by putting in cartridges one at a time or all together, and do 
 either with his gun loaded or not. 
 
 Great opposition was at first made to the simple breech loader, from the 
 same fear that cartridges would be shot away too fast, but that result has not 
 followed. Improved methods, too, have been devised for supjilying a fighting 
 line of troops with cartridges, and small calibre cartridges now used abroad 
 offer great advantages over the old in the number a man can carry. 102 Heb- 
 ler cartridges, calibre, .31, weigh only as much as 80 Mauser cartridges of cal- 
 ibre .43. It does not follow that trained troops are to shoot too fast because 
 they can do so, but the power to reload rapidly gives the soldier confidence 
 and enables him to aim more deliberately. For raw troops the danger is 
 greater, and it is dout)tfal whether they should be sup])lied with magazine 
 guns. 
 
 AUTOMATIC RECOIL GUNS. 
 
 What will result from the use of magazine guns operating by their own 
 recoil remains tabe seen. Maxim, the inventor of the automatic recoil raa" 
 chine gun, has also invented a musket acting on a similar principle, in the 
 latest form practically adopting the system of feeding used in the Swingle re- 
 volver gun above described ; and in an earlier form using a modification of the 
 Winchester system operated by a spring butt plate. In the Freddi rifle the 
 recoil pulls out the breech bolt for the insertion of a cartridge by haiid, and 
 compresses a spring so that on pressing a button the breech closes again. In 
 both systems the firing is controlled by a trigger, but in the Maxim, by keeping 
 the trigger pressed back, all the shots in the magazine will be fired in rapid 
 succession. The operation of refilling the magazine is, however, very slow. 
 
6o IVar Department Exhibit. 
 
 a:\[muxitiok 
 
 Projectiles of larger calibre have been described under Cannon. This 
 division includes fuzes, primers, powder and small arm ammunition. 
 
 FUZES FOR SHELL AND SHRAPNEL. 
 Those on exhibition are for the most part arranged on four boards from 
 Frankford Arsenal. The collection embraces most of those that were used 
 during the war. 
 
 1. Simple time, fuzes in wood, metal, and paper cases. These require the 
 passage of flame over the outer end of the fuze to produce ignition. They 
 are of wood, metal, or paper. 
 
 In the wooden fuze the burning composition is driven into a cylindrical 
 hole bored in a conical plug which can be cut off to allow the desired length 
 of burning. The specimens shown are for the 6 and 12-pounder guns, 8-in., 
 12-in., and 13-in. mortar. 
 
 In the vietal fuze the com])osition is packed in an annular slot in a thick 
 metal disk screw plug. The specimens shown are the Austrian, Babbitt, Bor- 
 mann, Laidley-Bormann, and the Wright. 
 
 The paper faze consists of a conical paper case, formed by rolling a trian- 
 gular strip of stout paper around a cylindrical' former, which when withdrawn 
 leaves a cylindrical bore into which the fuze composition is driven. Some of 
 the above fuzes have a priming of powder and quick-match to facilitate 
 ignition. 
 
 The specimens of U. S. i)aper fuzes shown are for 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 
 30, 35, and 40 seconds, with two of Rebel make of 5 and 15 seconds. 
 
 The paper fuzes have to be inserted in fuze phiga, hollow jilugs of wood 
 or metal driven or screwed into the fuze hole of the shell. 
 
 The wooden fuze plugs shown are for 6 and 12-pounder guns, 4>^ in. Siege 
 rifle, 13 in. mortar, 3-inch rifle, 10-inch sea-coast gun, and 8-inch sea-coast 
 mortar. The metal plugs are of Dyer, Hotchkiss, and Parrott patterns. 
 
 2. Special Time Fuzes and Fuze Plugs. 
 
 These are fitted with special features, such as hoods to direct flame to the 
 fuze, water caps to protect open fuzes from contact with water in burning, 
 holes in fuze plugs to allow boring into paper fuze without removal, and ig- 
 niters by which the shock of discharge sets fire to the time fuze without pass- 
 age of flame over the projectile. 
 
 The igniters are the most important. 
 
 The following are the characteristic igniters, others differing rather in 
 mechanical arrangement than in principle : 
 
 Laidleifs iriniter, still used in 3-inch rifle, consists of a snuUl brass tube, 
 closed at one end, filled with friction powder in which is embedded a rough- 
 ened wire projecting at the open end and there weighted with lead. Two ig- 
 niters are j)laced open end first in small holes bored in the front of the plug 
 by the side of tlie time fuze hole, then, on the sudden forward motion of the 
 shell at time of discharge, the lead weights hang back, drawing out the wires 
 
War Department ExhiMt. 
 
 and igniting the friction powder. The fire is comnuuiicatecrto-thrHine fuze 
 through small holes near the closed end of igniter tube. 
 
 Stevens' igniter has a plunger, suspended by a loop in tiie front end. On 
 tiring, the plunger hangs back, brciaks the loop and strikes a percussion com- 
 position in rear, igniting the time fuze. To the Stevens' class belongs the 
 Russian fuze, described p. 836 War Department Report on Die Centennial Ex- 
 position of 1876, the plunger being held in front by an axial wire, whicli is 
 twisted and pulled apart by the discharge. 
 
 Armstrong's igniter contains a sphere of percussion composition wliicb is 
 crushed by the discharge, so igniting the time fuze. 
 
 The following fuzes of this class are shown: Parrot, with water cap; 
 Hubbell, with water cap; Stevens, with igniter ; Rebel, with igniter, wooden 
 plug; Laidley, with igniter and water cap; Laidley, with igniter; Ilotchkiss, 
 with water cap; ITotchkiss, with igniter and w'ater cap; '3-inch gun. with 
 water cap; Foreign, with igniter and water cap; Arick, with igniter; Taylor, 
 with hood; Sea-Coast, with water cap; Navy, witli water cap; Navy, with 
 water cap and bushing; Hotchkiss, with water cap and igniter; Navy, with 
 water cap; Navy, w'itli water cap; Adams' Hand Grenade, with igniter. 
 
 The following forms, though more strictly time fuzes, only, with special 
 igniters, are placed on board 4 with combination fuzes : Sawyer's, Armstrong's, 
 Shenkle's. 
 
 3. Impact fuzes — conrussion and percussion. 
 
 Concussion fuzes are those that are ignited by the impact of the jirojectile 
 at any point of its surface, and they are applicable to spherical jirojectiles. 
 Percussion fuzes are especially suited to elongated projectiles, and they are 
 fired by the impact when the projectile strikes head on. 
 
 In general, percussion fuzes act by means of a plunger, whicli moves for- 
 ward in the projectile on impact, and either strikes a percussion composition 
 or draws a roughened wire through a mass of friction powder. 
 
 Varieties of impact fuzes shown are the Absterdam, Butler, Curran, old 
 pattern Hotclikiss, James, Janezeck and Simpson, Laidley, Parmtt, Patter- 
 son, Shenkle, Petman, and several of Rebel pattern. 
 
 The latest and most approved form of jiercussion fuze, shown on a se{)a- 
 rate board prepared at Frankford Arsenal, is the new Ilotchkiss, which com- 
 bines the following principles, illustrated by the different fuzes mentioned 
 above. Before discharge of piece, the plunger can not be moved by any or- 
 dinary shock, and can not come in contact with the primer. The shock of 
 discharge forces the plunger l)ack, leaving it free to move forward and strike 
 the can (Mi imoact. 
 
 HOTCHKISS BASE PERCUSSION FUZE. 
 
 This fuze consists of a brass screw plug, enclosing a plunger of lead sur- 
 rounded by a brass band. A pin, slightly longer than the plunger, is em- 
 bedded in the lead, with its point so far in, that it can not strike tlie cap in 
 the front of the fuze. The sliock of discharge drives tiie i)lunger liack on the 
 pin, leaving the point projecting to the front, the lead still holding it tiglit- 
 On impact, the plunger is thrown forward and the projecting pin explodes 
 the cap. This fuze is intended to be placed in the base of a shell, and it is made 
 with a flange to act as a gas check and keep the powder gas from getting into 
 
62 
 
 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 the sliell past the fuze. A front fuze, liaving tlie same kind of plunger, is 
 also used by Hotehkiss. 
 
 4. ('oinbinatioii Fnzex. 
 
 This name is given to fuzes which, besides to the time fuze to explode the 
 shell within a certain time, have a concussion or percussion device which will 
 explode the shell on impact if the time fuze fails, or if the projectile strikes 
 before the time fuze is burned tlirough. 
 
 The following varieties are shown on board 4: Mclntire, Woodbridge, 
 Drake, Treadwell-Splingard, Clapp, Tice, Belgian, etc. 
 
 The Belgian illustrates the use of an annular time fuze in the condjination. 
 
 TWO NEW FORMS ARE SHOWN ON SEPARATE BOARDS. 
 
 1st. New Armstrong Combination Fuze. (Received from New York 
 Arsenal.) 
 
 Tills consists of a brass fuze plug containing, at the front end, a cylin. 
 drical metal plunger held in place liy a soft copper wire connecting it radiallj' 
 on one side with the wall of the plug. A jirimer is placed in the base of the 
 plunger. The shock of discharge shears ofl" tlie wire, throwing the plunger 
 back and strikintr the primer against a ])r()jciliiig pin. (See Figure 2.'1) This 
 
 Fig. 23. 
 ignites a quick burning composition on the inner side of a movable ring, and 
 (lame communicates through a small hole witlithe time fuze composition which 
 is packed in an annular slot in the body of the plug. The ring can be turned 
 to bring the h )le over any desired i)art of the time fuze, and give proper 
 length of burning to 6 seconds. In the rear part of the plug is another 
 plunger having a cap at the front end and a jierforation through to tlie rear 
 filled with quick powder. This plunger is double, consisting of a plunger of 
 lead within a ring of brass. Before firing, the inner plunger which holds the 
 primer is kept well to the rear of the cavity by a spring which surrounds it 
 and keeps the outer ring forward. The shock of discharge drives the ring 
 
War Depatiment Exhibit. 
 
 63 
 
 back, and on impact the wliole plunger moves forward, tlie primer .striking a 
 pin projecting from tlie front of the cavity. 
 
 2nd Col. D. W. Flagler's Fuze. (Received from Frankford Arsenal.) 
 This fuze IS like the Armstrong, in having two plungers, the time 
 plunger in the front, and the impact iilunger in rear (as shown in figure 
 24), but the means of holding them differ, and the fuze comi)Osition is 
 arranged differently. The front plunger is held in place by an axial wire 
 at the forward end, similar to that described in the Russian time fuze? 
 above. The rear plunger is mude on the principle described in the new 
 
 Fig. 24. 
 Hotchkiss percussion fuze. The fuze composition is contained in the movable 
 ring itself, instead of in the liody of the plug, and the latter has only a pass- 
 age filled with c^uick powder leading to the interior of the shell. The parts 
 are arranged to increase the sensitiveness of both the time and percussion 
 parts, and especially to make them uniforndy sensitive. A restraining disk 
 protects the percussion igniter from the plunger when in the gun, and from 
 pressures caused bj' the atmospheric retardation of the projectile during 
 flight. This arrangement gives a verj' efficient and compact fuze, less than 
 %ths the length of the Armstrong, enabling the point to be made more solid. 
 It is graduated to burn up to 20 seconds. 
 
 PRIMERS x^OR CANNON. 
 
 The Service Friction Primer consists of a small tube drawn from a flat disk 
 of copper, filled with rifle powder and fitted with a branch tube at the closed 
 end. This branch contains friction jiowder, and a serrated brass wire passes 
 through it, ending in a loop outside. To fire the gun the long tube is inserted 
 in the vent, and a lanyard is hooked to the loop of the wire. Pulling on the 
 lanyard draws out the ware, igniting the composition by friction, discharging 
 the powder and communicating fire to the charge in the gun. An improved 
 
64 PVar Department Exhibit. 
 
 lanyard having a sliding handlf is shown. Tiie lanyard is held taut, and the 
 slide is l>rought sharply up against a knot on the top. 
 
 Electric Primers arc also shown in various stjdes of manufacture. In 
 these the tube is enlarged at the toj> for the insertion of an electric fuze, with 
 wire connections for exploding the primer by electric battery or magneto- 
 electric exi)loder. 
 
 Ohtirrntinij Primers are shown on the same board. These primers are so 
 constructed that they prevent the escape of gas through the vent in firing. 
 The tube is made of brass, larger in diameter than the old primer, and a screw 
 thread near the closed end allows them to be screwed in to the vent, enlarged 
 and tapped at the outer end for this jjiirpose. The gas pressure forces the 
 mouth of the tube against the walls of the vent and prevents escape of gas, 
 the action being similar to that of the metallic cartridge. They are of two 
 kinds, friction and electric primers. A hole in the solid end admits the wire 
 for tlie friction primer, or the insulated wires for the electric primer. In the 
 friction primers the wire Ijas a swelling within the tube to prevent its being 
 drawn completely out, and this fills the hole after ignition, preventing escape 
 of gas. The electric wires of the electric primer pass through a disk of in- 
 sulating material — vulcanized fibre — which covers the aperture from the in- 
 side, and prevents escape of gas past the wires. 
 
 POWDER AND SMALL ARM AMMUNITION. 
 
 POWDER. 
 
 Specimens of powder of various grain are shown, from that used for 
 small arms to the large blocks used for heavy guns. Samples of large grain 
 powder — hexagonal, sphero-hexagonal, mammoth and cubical — with some of 
 the prismatic perforated grains, both of black and brown (" coco ") powder, 
 were supplied through the courtesy of E. I. Dupout de Nemours & Co., Wil- 
 mington, Delaware; and cartridges such as are used for the U. S. r2-inch rifle 
 were exhibited, made up of wooden blocks representing the prismatic grains. 
 The two cartridges shown form one charge together, weighing 2G5 pounds. 
 
 ELONGATED BULLETS. 
 
 Most of these are arranged on boards received from the Military Acad- 
 emy, showing about 100 varieties, and embracing the French bullet for the 
 caral)ine a tige, one of the earliest forms, made to rest on a pin projecting from 
 the bottom of the bore, and forced into the rifling by blows of the ramrod ; 
 the Minnie bullet, 1885, made with a hollow base to allow expansion by 
 pressure of powder in firing; Jennings, containing powder charge in base; 
 the Austrian explosive bullet for blowing up ammunition chests; also many 
 others, showing steps of improvement to the present day. 
 
 In addition to these bullets there is shown a steel bullet with a copper 
 ring, like that on the Butler shot for heavy guns, to take the rifling. This 
 was devised by Major Geo. W. Meker, Ordnance Department, to be fired from 
 the .45 calibre service Springfield rifle in experiments on iron and steel plates 
 of moderate thickness, for calculation of cIT'cct of large steel shot on heavy 
 armor. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 65 
 
 A bullet coated with copper, made at Colt's Armory as early as 1884, is 
 also sliown, with specimens of the new small calibre lead bullets sheathed 
 with copper and steel, and one of very recent pattern wound with steel wire. 
 
 An interesting revolver bullet of recent invention is shown in Figure 25. 
 This is made up of two parts, one solid forming the base, and one split at the 
 rear into three sections, but united at the point. The figure shows the scpar- 
 
 Fig. 25. 
 ate parts, and on their right the appearance of the whole bullet prepared for 
 loading. In firing, the parts separate, and though the penetration is not very 
 great, it is claimed that at short ranges it is very effective, particularly for 
 mounted practice. This bullet is the invention of Capt. Henry T. Nowlan, 
 7th Cavalrj^, who claims that pistol practice should not be attempted by 
 mounted men except at very short ranges. 
 
 SMALL ARM CAllTRIDGES/ 
 
 Fifty-six specimens of foreign and American cartridges are arranged on 
 a board received from the Military Academy. These include, with many 
 others, some of the earlier forms of self-primed cartridges : the needle gun 
 cartridge ; Morse's American cartridge, with metallic shell and rubber base, 
 1858 ; Boxer cartridge, thin brass, wrapped, with iron head, for Martini-Henry 
 rifle. Besides these there is a large collection giving an historical series, 
 to show the progressive stages of manufacture from early cartridges for 
 muzzle loaders to the latest cartridges for modern breech loaders. All but 
 the new small calibre cartridges in this collection are from Frankford Arsenal. 
 
 1. Paper ammunition, not fixed. 
 
 Round and elongated bullet and buckshot cartridges ; powder and bullet 
 Avrapped in a paper cover. Twenty-five specimens. 
 
 2. Paper and linen ammunition, fixed. 
 
 Wrapper round the powder inflammable. Could be inserted whole. I'sed 
 both for muzzle-loaders and for tlie earlier breech-loaders. Cartridges for 
 Merrit's, Hall's, Sharp's, Colt's, and Starr's arms are noted. Twenty-nine 
 specimens. 
 
 3. Transition from inflammable wrapper to metallic cartridges. 
 This includes the Gallagher foil cartridge; the Maynard brass shell cart- 
 ridge, with a flange at rear, as in modern cartridges, but having no priming 
 
66 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 a central perforation in the base admitting Hame from a primer fired on a 
 nipple outside the barrel; the Burnside copper shell cartridge, with flange at 
 forward end, and central perforation at base; also some foreign gun cart- 
 ridges. Thirty-seven specimens. 
 
 4. Early self-primed cartridges, rim-primed and center-primed cart- 
 
 ridges. 
 Pouliiey brass-foil, with iron base ; Crispin zinc-foil ; Hotchkiss solid head, 
 pressed up from solid base; Remington-Martin base; Winchester (Milbank 
 primer). The primer is a flanged percussion cap inserted in a pocket without 
 anvil; United States Cartridge Company solid head, both inside and outside 
 primed cartridges ; Berdan, early forms with outside pocket, and impressed 
 shallow cup :• Mead's explosive bullet cartridge ; Spencer ; Ballard ; Morse ; 
 Henry; various experimental cartridges, including Col. Laidley's; and sev- 
 eral pistol cartridges by various makers, including inside and outside cap, 
 teat and rim-primed cartridges. 
 
 5. Foreign and sporting cartridges, metallic, etc. 
 
 English Boxer, Snyder ; English Boxer, Henry ; French chassepot and 
 mitrailleuse, pasteboard, with metal base; Prussian needle gun, paper cylin- 
 der, choked in front of bullet; Austrian " Werndl," with annular copper an- 
 vil ; Dutch Beaumont, with solid brass head and pocket, cap with anvil prim- 
 er; Swiss Vetterlin, rim-primed; and various sporting cartridges for shot, 
 nearly all pasteboard with metal base, pocket and anvil primed. 
 
 6 Modifications made in the charge." (Cal. .50 cartridges.) 
 
 Charges of Oriental, Hazard, and Du Pont musket powders, 70 grains. 
 These show the various effects of compressing the charge, either from front, 
 rear, or from both ends, and either perforating it from end to end, or leaving 
 a conical rear cavity; Sleeper's chlorate powder is also shown in charges of 
 from 15 to 30 grains, as is also Gomez's iron gun-powder. 
 
 7. Modifications in bullet and lubricant. 
 
 These show the various effects of deepening the cannelures to hold more 
 lubricant; use of two broad cannelures instead of three; use of lubricant 
 with wad under the bullet, either alone or in addition to lubricant in the can- 
 nelures ; use of a front lubricant ; patching bullet with bank-note paper ; and 
 use of bullet hardened by the addition of tin. 
 
 Various forms of bullets are also shown, the usual one being the frustum 
 of a cone on a cylinder; various reductions in weight are also made, usually 
 by conical cavity in base. 
 
 8. Center primed cartridges, disk and bar anvils. 
 
 These show the center swell base, copper disk anvil, two vents, short case ; 
 Martin straight bar reinforce, tinned iron, with reinforce copper cup held in 
 by indents in wall of shell; various disk and bar anvils of copper or iron, 
 held in by indents or re-entrant fold ; and the Martin pocket with re-en- 
 trant fold. 
 
 Ca])-primed cases are included. These show the solid nipple-head in 
 
War Departtnent Exhibit. 67 
 
 brass pocket in base of case ; various star and cup cap-receivers ; front igni- 
 tion cases; the Laidley arch anvil; Treadwell cube anvil; Berdan anvil; and 
 cup anvils. One of the earliest was the Benet, 1866. One of Berdan's early 
 models was made on the same principle. 
 
 They also comprise the tinned cup anvil, held in by crimps or indents ; 
 side vent cup anvil; corrugated base, copper cup anvil ; copper cup anvils 
 of various shapes ; Treadwell's open base, with double cup ; Berdan solid head 
 teat anvil, and various cup anvil ammunition for pistols. 
 
 9. Modifications in calibre. Reductions. 
 
 Nearly all the first bullets of .45 calibre are in bottle-shaped cases, either 
 for 70 or 80 grains charge, weighing from 400 to 425 grains ; they are nearly 
 all cannelured, with cases about 2.5 inches long. The bullets for the .42 cal. 
 are used with from 70 to 80 grains of powder, and weigh from 350 to 385 grains. 
 The early forms all appear in bottle-shaped cases, and are nearly all cannel- 
 ured. The .40 cal., nearly all in straight cases, are used with from 65 to 80 
 grains of powder, and weigh from 290 to 350 grains. They nearly all have 
 four or five cannelures. 
 
 10. Folded head, centre-primed cartridges; calibre, .75; non-re- 
 
 loading, showing stages of manufacture. 
 
 The shell is slightly tapering from flange to bullet, where it becomes cyl- 
 indrical and extends to cover the cannelures. It is made from a thin plate 
 of copper. First a disk is punched out and slightly cupped in a single ma- 
 chine. The cup is then drawn out more and more, becoming of smaller and 
 smaller diameter by successive operations. It is then trimmed to length, and 
 the head is formed by a press which buckles out the metal at the sides of the 
 closed end, forming a folded flange. A perforated cup anvil with a shallow 
 pocket in the bottom is inserted and pushed down, being fixed in place by 
 crimps made just in front of it at two oppo-site points in the wall of the shell. 
 The bullet weighs 404 grains ; charge of powder for carbine, 55 grains ; for 
 rifle, 70 grains, the same shell being used for both, with wads behind bullet in 
 the former to fill the space and give the cartridge the same size. The bullet is 
 made from round cast bars of lead and tin ; 16 parts lead to 1 of tin. These 
 are rolled down to size, and then a single machine cuts to lengths and forms 
 a bullet from each length between three dies, one die for the base and two for 
 the sides. There are three shallow cannelures for lubricant. 
 
 Samples are given of carbine, rifle and revolver shells and bullets, show- 
 ing stages of manufacture. 
 
 11. U. S. service cartridge; calibre, .45. 
 
 This differs from those just described^ in being made with a solid flange 
 at the head, and arranged for the insertion of a primer from the outside, so 
 that the shell can be reprimed and reloaded. It has usually been made of 
 copper, but it is now made of brass. It is made from thicker metal than the 
 folded head cartridge. The sheet from which the disks are punched is shown, 
 with the various stages in development of the tube, primer and bullet. (See 
 Figure 26.) Weight of bullet, 500 grains ; weight of powder, 70 grains. 
 
68 
 
 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 12. T7ie Morse S/iell of service size. 
 
 This has a movable base, with rubber packing. It is a folded head brass 
 shell, with the centre of the base cut out for the insertion of a solid cup con- 
 taining an outside primer. (See Figure 27.) A rubber ring inside covers the 
 joint. With the solid head cartridge, expansion of the front part caused it to 
 clamp against the wall of the chamber, the pressure on the base tending to 
 pull it away from the front part so held. This caused breaking, particularly 
 with copper shells. The Morse shell was designed to obviate this trouble, and 
 it is now undergoing trial to see whether the complication of parts and form 
 
 A 
 
 tlj 
 
 Fig. 26. 
 
 Fig. 27 
 
 Fig. 28. Fig 29. 
 
 of shell introduce other objections greater than the above, in reloading shells. 
 Shells are reloaded by the soldier, and it is very important to have them last 
 for many reloadings. 
 
 NEW SM.\LL CALIBRE CARTRIDGES. 
 
 The tendency to reduction of calibre has been constant from the old 
 musket calibre, 70-lOOths of an inch, to the prevailing calibres of recent years. 
 .45 (the U. S. calibre) to .40. 
 
 To Professor Hebler, of Germany, and Major Eubin, of Switzerland, is 
 
War Department Exhibit. 69 
 
 due the credit of experiments within the last ten years which have led to 
 recent reduction of caUbres in Europe. The limit of advantage in reduction 
 seems to be about .295 inches, and a calibre of about .31 is regarded as the 
 best. The object of reduction, besides the saving in weight of cartridges and 
 of space occupied by them in packing, and the diminution of recoil, lies in 
 the flatter trajectory obtained with a bullet of diameter so slight as compared 
 with its length. Such a bullet in moving point on suffers less resistance from 
 the air in projiortion to the weight, since the weight of projectile compared 
 with resisting surface is greater. The retardation of the bullet is therefore 
 less. Moreover, the area of the longitudinal section is greater in relation to 
 the weight, and this increases the effect of the air in retarding the drop of the 
 bullet. The result is that the velocity given it in the gun is maintained longer 
 and the drop is less over a given range, as well as in a given time, making the 
 path of the bullet straighter and increasing the "dangerous space," or the 
 distance over which, for aim at any particular range, the bullet would keep 
 within a man's height from the ground. This effect is augmented by greatly 
 increasing the charge in comparison with the w'eight of the bullet, or 
 by using a higher explosive, and so getting greater initial velocity; 1800 to 
 2000 feet per second, instead of 1300 to 1400 feet. To keep a long, thin bullet 
 point on in its flight requires an increased rate of rotation, and the twist of 
 the rifling is increased to 1 turn in 9 or 10 inches, while the twist in our ser- 
 vice rifle is 1 turn in 30 inches. Lead bullets, unprotected, will not stand this 
 under high charges without stripping, so the lead bullet is sheathed with 
 copper or steel, and this covering assists too in penetration. A copper cov- 
 ered bullet recovered from wood into which it had been fired is shown. It 
 bears the marks of the rifling, but shows no deformation. The Ilcbler and 
 Rubin cartridges differ in details as follows : 
 
 13. The Hebler cartridge. 
 
 In one form of this cartridge the case is of steel, nickel-plated, with a 
 copper head which contains the center-fire capsule and expands to serve as 
 a gas check. The charge of powder, 83 grains, is compressed in the case, and 
 has a central canal for the rapid ignition of the whole charge. It is arranged 
 in layers of different densities, to give greater uniformity of pressure by in- 
 creasing the rate of burning toward the end. The form shown in the exhibit, 
 from the National Armory, represented actual size in figure 28, has a 
 brass, solid-head, bottle-shape shell, with the usual flange. 
 
 The Lorenz bullet, used with these cartridges, is covered with a thin steel 
 jacket, nickel-plated. This jacket is drawn and pressed into shape, tinned 
 inside, and filled with compressed pieces of soft lead slightly hardened by tin 
 and antimony. The whole is then heated to melt the lead and cause it to 
 unite with the wall of the cover, and the lead is afterwards compressed and 
 solidified. The steel jacket is tenipereil at the point, but it is softer at the 
 sides. Six thousand rounds have ])een fired from a rifle without i)erceptible 
 
70 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 wear or injury to the grooves, the bullet taking the grooves perfectly. The 
 liullet has no cannelures. 
 
 The following figures regarding the Hehlcr bullet, calibre, .2!Jo, are taken 
 from various sources: Initial velocity, 1850 feet; weight of bullet, 224 grains; 
 weight of charge, 83 grains ; weight of cartridge complete, 521 grains; length 
 of bullet, 4.4G calibres. 
 
 Penetration of Hebler at muzzle, 39.4 inches in pine; at distance of 2,500 
 metres, 2% inches. Of Mauser, at muzzle, 9.5 inches; at 1,600 metres, 2.16 
 inches. 
 
 The LeheJ rifie rartridfir, of the Hebler pattern, is said to be as follows : 
 Length of bullet, 1.32 inches; total length of case, 3.07 inches; calibre, .304; 
 weight, 211.42 grains. Front lubricant is supposed to be used. 
 
 This cartridge has a smokeless powder, but its composition it not defi- 
 nitely known, and there is some doubt about its standing .storage and answer- 
 ing the requirements of service. 
 
 It is said that experiments on animals demonstrate that the wound 
 caused by a Hebler bullet is much less serious than that from others, as the 
 Hebler bullet makes a clean hole, while the others make ragged and splint- 
 ered holes, producing wounds that remain serious for years even if vital 
 parts are not struck. In one case, a man shot by a Hebler bullet in the upper 
 left arm entirely recovered in three months, though he was hors de combat for 
 two months. It is held to be better to wound than to kill. A dead man 
 requires burial only ; a wounded man needs the assistance of two others, is 
 an additional expense to the State, and can render no service for a long time. 
 
 14. The Rubin cartridge; lead bullet, copper covered. 
 
 Two specimens are shown, of form indicated in Figure 29; one from the 
 National Armorj', and one presented by Herr Schulhoff and Major Glent- 
 worth, of the Austrian service. This is used in the Schulhoff magazine gun, 
 shown in the exhibit, as well as in the Rubin rifle, of which a trial is now being 
 made at the National Armory. This shell is of a novel pattern. It is made 
 without a projecting flange, a groove for the extractor to engage in being cut 
 round the base, which is made thicker to give room for it. The walls of the 
 .shell are thick, and at the mouth this is increased by an inner ring, forming 
 a shoulder round the bullet, and this, with the taper of the shell, prevents 
 forcing the cartridge too far into the firing chamber. One advantage of this 
 form of shell in box magazines is obvious, as no care has to be taken to keep 
 the flanges of the cartridges from catching on each other to prevent pushing 
 the top one forward in loading the piece. The Schulhoff gun is also made to 
 fire the Hebler flanged cartridge. 
 
 The following information regarding the Rubin cartridge, of form shown 
 in Figure 29, is derived from experiments in this country with the Rubin rifle: 
 Calibre, .29.5 inches. The charge is ordinary grain powder, compressed, with 
 an axial perforation. Weight of powder, 69.48 graijis; weight of projectile, 
 216.16 grains; velocity, 50 feet from muzzle, 1800 feet per second; maximum 
 penetration in soft pine, 17 inches at 500 yards ; 9.78 inches at 1000 yards ; ordi- 
 nates in firing at 500 yard target, 100 yards, 2.97 feet ; 200 yards, 4.8 ; 300 yards, 
 5.19 ; 400 yards, 3.73 ; maximum ordinate firing at 1000 yard target, 34.226. 
 
 15. The Hurst accelerating cartridge ; calibre, .32. 
 
 A cartridge invented by H. P. Hurst, of Mississippi, has recentl}'^ at- 
 
War Department Exhibit. 71 
 
 tracted considerable attention. (It is shown only by drawings and descrip- 
 tion.) Remarkable results are to be expected from such a cartridge, with the 
 weight of charge nearly double that of the projectile. 
 
 The base of the cartridge shell has attached to it a strong central tube, 
 which contains the initial charge of powder, and extends beyond it over 
 nearly all of the cylindrical portion of the bullet. Outside of this case is dis- 
 posed a second charge, composed of rings of compressed powder consideralily 
 less in diameter than the chamber of the gun. The bullets are m.-de of steel, 
 and are of various lengths. The firing of the central charge is eflected in the 
 usual manner, and the bullet is driven fioni the tube, but the very instant it 
 is clear, the flame is communicated to the second charge, and the projectile 
 leaves tTie bore with a greatly accelerated velocity. 
 
 A collection of cartridge primers and parts of primer is shown, embracing 
 different varieties— Berdan, Orcutt, Sharp, Wesson, etc. 
 
 SIGHTS, APPENDAGES, ETC. 
 
 1. Lorain telescope sight for heavy guns. 
 
 Tliis is practically a surveyor's" field transit instrument, with vertical 
 and horizontal limbs; the vertical for adjusting the angle of elevation, and 
 the horizontal limb to give allowance for wind and drift. This sight is 
 intended to be placed on the left trunnion, with the horizontal limb parallel 
 to the plane passing through the axis of the trunnion and the axis of the 
 piece, no allowance being made for inclination of the platform. When the 
 horizontal limb is set at the zero mark, the vertical limb is parallel to the 
 vertical plane of fire, and this adjustment being made, setting the vertical 
 limb at the zero of its scale should bring the line of collimation of the tele- 
 scope parallel to the axis of the piece. It is only wlien tiring at a target on 
 a level with the gun that the elevation reading for any range will be the same 
 as that required with the quadrant, as the reading gives the angle made with 
 the axis of the piece and not with the horizontal. The vertical reading for 
 the telescope sight will be greater than with the quadrant when the liring 
 point is above the target, and less when the firing point is below. 
 
 From Fort Monroe. Designed by the late Maj. Lorain, I'. S. Army. 
 
 2. Zalinski telescope sight for sea coast guns. 
 
 This sight has an adjustment for want of level of the platform. The 
 frame carrying the telescope and its vertical and horizontal liml)s has on 
 the right side a round trunnion-bar, wliicb rests in bearings on the face of 
 the left trunnion, the axis of this bar being parallel to the axis of the piece. 
 A thumb-screw lower down on the frame bears against the face of the trun- 
 nion to level the sight horizonlally. Fixed to the frame liy a hurizonlal axis. 
 
72 War Departvient Exhibit. 
 
 opposite the front end of the axis of the trunnion-bar, is a plate which holds 
 the vertical limb, and attaciied to this at the front by a vertical pivot is a 
 plate wliich revolves horizontally, and carries the telescope on Y's, the op- 
 tical center of the object glass being over the vertical pivot. "Verniers allow 
 setting the limbs to minutes of arc. Levels for adjustment arc placed, one 
 longitudinally under the telescope, and one laterally on the frame which di- 
 rectly su])ports the telescope. The bar is hollow to serve as an ordinary peep 
 sight. Fixed and movable cross-hairs, the latter moved by a micrometer 
 screw, serve to give a range finder by measuring the angular depression of 
 the mark below the gun, or its elevation^ above, the distance being a func- 
 tion of this angle and the known height of the gun above the water level. 
 
 From Fort Monroe. Designed by Capt. E. L. Zalinski, 5th Artillery. 
 
 3. Two double-reflecting sights for heav}- guns. 
 
 The reiiectors are fastened to the top of a graduated stem, which passes 
 up and down through a socket attached to the breech. A lateral move- 
 ment of the rear sight in front of the reflector gives allowance for wind, etc. 
 The gunner stands behind the piece, sheltered by the parapet. 
 
 4. rhipps-Quinan sight for field guns. 
 
 This is a tangent sight with its stem made to slide laterally on a hollow 
 block, which turns round an axis parallel to the axis of the piece. The block 
 rests in the curved top of a standard, which is set in a socket fastened to the 
 rear of the piece. A level on the block serves to set the stem in a vertical 
 plane passing through the top of the front sight, this point being so 
 placed that the line joining it with the axis of rotation of the block is parallel 
 to the axis of the piece. This makes it practicable to sight correctly 
 whether the wheels are on the same level or not, and in this particular it 
 serves the same purpose as the old pendulum hatissc, kept vertical by gravity. 
 It is more stable in position than the latter, however, and it admits adjust- 
 ment for wind and drift by the lateral movement. The sight-slide is moved 
 up and down by a screw running the length of rlie si cm. 
 
 From West Point. 
 
 5. Kelton's rear sight for rifles. 
 
 This has a rear skeleton leaf, the inclination of which is regulated by a 
 shaft turned by a milled head at the right. A slide on the leaf carries a wind 
 gauge. The object of the arrangement is to give the means of getting the 
 sight quickly for any elevation. 
 
 6. Sight of Lebel rifle. 
 
 This sight has an inclined hinged leaf, with slide, and it seems to be sim- 
 ilar to the old pattern sight of the U. S. service. The base is provided with 
 live steps, against which leans the leaf, supported by the slide, for distances 
 of from 400 to 800 metres. The leaf carries graduations of from 900 to 1,900 
 metres, and has on its top the notch for 2,000 metres, the highest contem- 
 plated range. When the leaf is lowered, a short sight projecting from its 
 face near the hinge is available for ranges up to 350 metres. 
 
War Departjuent Exhibit. 
 
 73 
 
 7 Sight for Mauser rifle. 
 
 The rear sight consists of two siglit leaves hinged to the sight mass by 
 a movable pin. The small leaf is just in rear of the long one. The latter is 
 kept steady when vertical by a flat spring below. It is a skeleton leaf hav- 
 ing side bars which are graduated up to 1,600 meters. A plate enveloping the 
 long leaf slides up and down, its lower edge being brought to the required 
 graduation on the leaf, and held there by a spring. The plate has a notch 
 at the top for long-range sighting, and two sighting holes lower down. Be- 
 sides the two leaves, there is a short standing sight, which is used for 
 distances less than 270 metres when the two leaves are turned down. The 
 small leaf serves for 350 metres ; the long one for distances from 400 up to 
 1,600 metres. The sights are kept dark dull to avoid any errors in the aim 
 by deceptive light. There is no adjustment for wind and drift. 
 
 8 Buffington sight for service vSpringfield rifle and carbine 
 
 This sight is shown in figure 30. It resembles the Mauser, in having a 
 long hinged s^elecon leaf, held in an upright position by a spring below, and 
 in having a slide plate ]ierforatc<l with sighting holes, but the slide moves 
 
 Fig. 30. 
 
 within the leaf insteud of enveloping it, and a clamp screw at the top of tiie 
 leaf holds the slide from jumping up in firing. Besides provision for upper 
 and lower open sights, upper and lower peep-sight holes are made in the 
 plate. When the leaf is down, a snudl sight projecting from its face serves 
 for short range. The following important additions are made : 
 
 CompeHsntiun for drift. The guides in which the slide moves are inclined 
 to the left, so that the sight holes move to the left slightly in g<jing up, giving 
 an automatic allowance for drift, and leaving only the wind to be considered 
 bv the soldier. This is the first application of this principle to sights for 
 small arms, though it is used on some of the Navy sights for heavy guns. 
 
74 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 Wind gauge. The leaf is hinged to a swinging plate pivoted to the sight 
 mass or base, as indicated in the figure, and a worm turned by a milled head 
 on the right side of the base at the front engages in the front curved edge of 
 the plate to turn it, thereby moving the sight to the right or left to allow 
 for wind. 
 
 9. IJelgian aiming device for teaching recruits. 
 
 This is shown in rear of the Bufiington sight in figure 30. It consists of 
 an upright l)ar, which is fastened to the side of the gun by a cvirved spring 
 clamp covered with leather, and it can be easily slipped on and ofi" the gun. 
 The bar has a sliding frame, which moves \i\i and down, carrying a piece of 
 smokj' glass, held in a vertical position, but inclined to the axis of the gun 
 so that a person standing at the side can see in it the reflection of the front 
 and rear sights. This glass, however, allows the soldier to look through froai 
 the rear in aiming, so that. both the recruit and his instructor can sight at 
 the same time, and the latter can correct the errors made by the former. It 
 is a great im])rovement over the old method of using a sand bag to steady the 
 piece and having first the recruit and then the instructor look along the 
 sights, as it is very difficult to keep the gun steady in place on the sand bag. 
 Lt. Col. Andrew Burt, of the 7th Infantry, suggests the use of a cross level 
 in connection with this device, to insure keeping the sight leaf vertical. The 
 inclination of the sides of the sight slide renders this somewhat difficult in 
 sighting at long ranges with the slide well up. The Mauser enveloping slide, 
 with leaf instead of slide inclined, would remain vertical and allow putting 
 the clamp screw at the bottom of the slide to serve as a handle, instead of at 
 the top of the leaf where it requires both hands to set the sight. 
 
 From Ordnance Office. 
 
 10. Buffington headless shell extractor and gun cleaner. 
 
 Fig. 31. 
 This device, lately adopted in the U. S. service for removing from the 
 bore and chamber empty shells with heads pulled off, is shown in figure 31. 
 It consists of two parts, the extractor proper shown in the middle of the 
 figure, and a small drift shown at the right. The extractor proper is a hollow 
 cylinder of tempered steel, rifled on the exterior to correspond with the rifling 
 of the barrel. Four transverse grooves are cut in the projecting ridges. One 
 end is divided by three longitudinal slits which can be expanded slightly by 
 forcing in the drift. At the end of the prongs a screw thread is cut. The 
 other end is tapped to hold the drift when its use is not required. A section 
 of the prong end is shown at the left of tlie figure. To drive out a shell stuck 
 in the rifled part of the bore the extractor is pushed into the nmzzle, drift end 
 first, and through the bore. If the shell is in the chamber, the drift has to be 
 used. It is unscrewed and the extractor is inserted at the breech, prong end 
 first. The breech is then closed and the drift is pushed down, small end first. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 75 
 
 from the muzzle, and driven in between the prongs. This sets the prongs 
 out, and the screw threads at the end bite into the shell. Opening the breech, 
 the extractor and shell can bo driven out to the rear togctlier. The extractor 
 passed through the bore serves to clean it. 
 
 II. Russell inspecting glass for Springfield rifles and carbines. 
 
 Figure 32 is a perspective view, from the front and above. Figure 3.S a 
 longitudinal section tbrougli the receiver and through the instrument wlicn 
 in position, with a side view of brecch-lilock. 
 
 Fig. 32. 
 
 A brass frame, shaped to fitin the receiver, holds an inclined mirror, M, by 
 which the inspector, looking in above, obtains the reflected image of the bore 
 and chamber from the lear. For inspection from the muzzle, it serves to 
 throw light in at the breech to illumine tlie bore. A bar in front, across the 
 top of the frame, holds the breech-block open. 
 
 Fig. 33. 
 
 12. Devices for sighting through thick walls. 
 
 These give a wide field of view witb very small apertures in the front and 
 rear faces of the wall. 
 
76 War Department Exhibit, 
 
 RANGE FINDERS. 
 
 These are instruments for quickly determining tlie distance of a target in 
 order to set the sights of the guns for the proper range. With the exception 
 of the Gordon, all that are shown in the exhibit are pocket instruments. 
 They all depend on the principles of double reflection. If two plane mirrors 
 are inclined to each other, as in figure 84, at any angle, a ray of light reflected 
 from one surface after the other will change direction hy an angle equal to 
 twice the angle made by the mirrors, and turning both mirrors together does 
 not change this angle. If a triangular prism is used, as represented in figure 
 35 ; suppose the ray enters one of the sliort faces where it is bent by refraction. 
 
 Fig. 34. Fig. 35. 
 
 and that it passes to the silvered back, wlicre it is reflected to the first .surface 
 again with greater inclination than before, and reflected again from that sur- 
 face, passing out at the third surface. If the front angle of the prism is equal 
 to twice the angle made by the reflecting surfaces, the deflection will also be 
 ('(|ual to twice the latter angle as with plane mirrors, the bending of the ray 
 at the surfaces of entrance and emergence being the same and in opposite 
 directions. The reflecting angle used for both mirrors and prisms is generally 
 about 45 deg., to give a deflection of about 90 deg. For such angles it is un- 
 necessary to silver the first face to produce reflection, as the ray coming from 
 the l)ack surface strikes it at an angle which gives tdtal reflection without 
 silvering. 
 
 The prism will give only duo angle, but wiien (ince constructed it is in- 
 variable. The angles between the mirrors can be varied at will, and both 
 fixed and variable angle instruments are made with mirrors, but they reijuire 
 frequent adjustment. The dotted lines in figures 34 and 35 indicate the 
 course of a ray, and an observer at one end can see by reflection a side object 
 apparently in the direction of the line he is sighting on. This enables him to 
 lay iitrthc given angle, by glaiuMng over the top edge of the iiistruinent at tbr 
 
IVar Department Exhibit, 
 
 77 
 
 same time that he is looking tliroiigli ; and so to establish a marker at such a 
 position with reference to any object, that tlie difference of direction of the 
 two points from the obsei'ver will be e(iual to the given angle. lie can also, 
 by moving al)out, place himself in such a position as to make the bearings of 
 two objects from his position differ by this angle. 
 
 FIXED ANGLE INSTRUMENTS. 
 
 I. The Weldon range finder. 
 
 This is a prism instrument giving an angle of SS' S4' 3". It is adopted in 
 tlie English service under the ul)ove name, l)ut it is really a German device, 
 described, if not invented, l>y Bauernfeind. Figure 3(! shows the Weldon 
 
 Fig. 36. Fig. 37. 
 
 mountmg, a brass frame covering the back and the upper and lower surfaces. 
 A handle is placed below. Figure .37 shows the form of mounting devised in 
 the U. S. Army. The top of the glass is left uncovered, so that the object 
 seen over the instrument may come in close contact vertically with the image 
 seen in the prism. Wings are placed on the frame to cut of!' unnecessary and 
 confusing reflections from the outer surfaces, and to indicate the direction in 
 wliich the observer should look into the prism. 
 
 Weldon also used two plane mirrors, fixed at an inclinatinn wliich woidd 
 give the same deflection. 
 
 Following a suggestion made inofhcial imblications of the I'.S. Ordnance 
 
 Fig. .S>*. 
 Department, Weldon combined three prisms, one giving an anj^lc of f)<V ; 
 one of 88^ 51' 5"; and the other of S8^ 5' 12". This is shown in figure .3S. 
 
78 
 
 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 A ring carries a circular frame swung to turn within it, and two of the 
 prisms are fixed back to back in the frame. A handle to the ring holds 
 the tliird j)rism. This is the form now used in the English service. It was 
 furnished for e.xhibition by Queen tt Co., Philadeli)hia. The mounting re- 
 sembles that of Bauernfeind for a single prism. See Ordnance notes 134, 
 1(32 and 170. 
 
 2. The Russell range finder. 
 
 This consists of a single prism with six sides. By looking into this in 
 different directions, any one of three different angles can be obtained, 90^; 
 88° 34' 3"; or 91° 25' 57", the supplement of the second. The prism is 
 mounted in a frame, as shown in figure 3i), leaving apertures at certain places 
 for observation, the top being uncovered. This frame is placed in a circular 
 box, open at the top and on one side. The frame revolves in the box round 
 
 Fig. ail. 
 
 a pin in the center of the bottom, to uncover through the side opening two 
 apertures in the frame at the same time and allow observation of either re- 
 quired angle, but ])revent direct sight through. A spring stop underneath 
 holds the frame in each of the tliree positions, and the outline given to the 
 frame between the different faces of the prism indicates to the touch what 
 angle can be observed at the opening. This one prism performs the office of 
 the three Weldon prisms combined. 
 
 3. The Pratt range finder. 
 
 The Pratt range finder consists of a frame holding two small mirrors 
 above and two below ; the upper mirrors making an angle of 45° with each 
 other, and the lower an angle of 43° 34' 7.5", for laying off an angle of 87° 
 8' 15". This range finder comes in a neat case, and has a small handle below 
 for convenience of use. Figure 40 represents this instrument. Sections of 
 the upper and lower mirrors are shown above and below, and in the middle 
 is a perspective view. This was invented by Lt. Sedgwick Pratt, 3d Artillery, 
 who has devised new and valuable methods of observation. 
 
 Furnished from Fort Monroe. 
 
 With instruments giving but one angle, it is desiral)le to have two ob- 
 
f 
 
 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 79 
 
 servers, each one with an instrument. One observer lays otf the angle from 
 the mark, and ranges the other observer on his line of sight. The second 
 observer, facmg him, moves back and forth on this line till he sees the mark 
 reflected from the direction of the first oliscrver. The distance between ob- 
 servers, multiplied by 20, gives the range of the mark from either. 
 
 With instruments giving three angles, one observer is able to do the work 
 alone. If he lays off from the mark, with the instrument, the largest angle, 
 and then moves back on his line of sight until he sees the rcllection of the 
 
 yti) 
 
 Fig. 10. 
 
 mark from the same point as before, using either of the other angles, the 
 range can be found by multiplying the distance by 20 or by 40, according to 
 the smaller angle used. With the Pratt range fincler, giving two angles and 
 used in like manner, the multi]>lier is 20. Weldon seems to use .50 and ;-t0 as 
 multipliers. 
 
^VzT Z^'.^i.crt?nirft£ JExMiff^^ 
 
 ^ .1 LXsTKOOyES- 
 
 ■-.-?■ M! ami! X 
 
 W? 
 
 nzizr 
 
 
 , , y. m^ 
 
 F^s-ffl- 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 8i 
 
 that the angle may be varied by turning the ring A A on the end of the tube. 
 The object is first observed with tlie mirrors at an angle of 45 degrees, and 
 the observer then moves 30 metres back along tlje line of sight, and ro- 
 tates the ring until the mark is reflected from the same point again. A grad- 
 uated scale on the ring gives the desired distance at once. A cord 30 metres 
 long is used to fix the base. A second instrument is shown, which has a tele- 
 scope attached. Botli Lat)1)ez iiistniinents wt-n: furnisljed by Queen (V: Co.. 
 Philadeljjhia. 
 
 5- The Gordon range finder. 
 
 This consists of a horizontal plate, holding two vertical mirrors, and pro- 
 vided with a short tube, which can be adjusted to the end of a field glass. 
 The reflectors cover one-half the objective, and one eye only is used in sight- 
 ing. One of the mirrors can be moved about a vertical axis Ijy means of a 
 nut under the plate. This turns a cam operating on a lever, and a graduated 
 disk attached to the nut gives the reading. The rotation of the plate being 
 much greater than that of the mirror, the reading can easily be taken. Fig- 
 
 ure 42 gives a perspective view and figure 43 shows the arrangement of the 
 cam disk and levers from below. The second mirror is adjustable by rueans 
 of the screw and lever shown in the latter figure. This instrument is the in- 
 vention of Lieutenant W. B. Gordon, Ordnance Department. 
 
 From Fort Monroe. 
 
 6. New reflecting instrument. 
 
 A reflecting instrument with two plane mirrors is also shown, in which 
 the angular movement of the mirrors Is twice the angle °^^««"'^^ "^^.^-^.^^ 
 one-ha^ that angle, as in the ordinary sextant and other reflecting in- 
 Etruments. 
 
82 JV<7f Department Exhibit. 
 
 SHOOTING GALLERY. 
 
 This is in a slicd outside the building, near the ottice of the Navy Depart- 
 ment. Tn it is shown a collection of ballistic apparatus for determining 
 the pressure of powder in the bore of cannon, and the velocity and motion 
 of projectiles. Also, the methods used in the army for reloading small arm 
 cartridge shells, with the different targets in service. The early methods of 
 obtaining the velocity of projectiles and determining pressures, were very la- 
 borious and far from accurate. Velocity was determined by firing a shot 
 against a pendulum suspended in front of the gun, noting the swing of the 
 pendulum and then calculating what velocity the shot must have liad to pro- 
 duce this swing. For obtaining pressures the same instrument was used 
 with such an arrangement as the Bomford and Warde gun in the exhibit, con- 
 structed as descril)ed below ; or the gun itself was suspended from a frame 
 forming a pendulum. Its swing on firing the gun was noted, and then the 
 pressure that must have been exerted to produce this swing was calculated. 
 So many allowances had to be made for uncertain influences that poor re- 
 sults followed. 
 
 PRESSURE OF POWDER IX GFXS. 
 
 1. Bomford and Wade's experimental gun, 3 in. cast iron, illustrat- 
 
 ing early methods of obtaining powder pressures. 
 
 Used by these officers of ordnance in 1841 to determine the proper exte- 
 rior form of cannon. It has screw holes through the sides at regular inter- 
 vals between the chamber and the muzzle, with steel screw plugs to fill them. 
 One of these plugs is perforated, and it can be set in any hole, tlie other holes 
 being filled with solid plugs. Steel balls of standard weight were shot from 
 this perforated plug at successive points along the line of the bore, being pro- 
 jected by the force produced in the gun by firing it loaded in the usual man- 
 ner. The balls were fired into a small ballistic pendulum. The tliickness of 
 new cannon was proportioned to the observed velocity at any point. These 
 experiments served to determine the form of the Columbiads, model 1842, 
 which, with slight changes of form and the introduction of the Rodman 
 method of casting, afterward became our standard patterns of heavy, smooth- 
 bore ordnance. These exi)criments were repeated ui Europe by Cavalli in 
 1843. From West Point. 
 
 2. Rodman " cutting '' pressure gauge; American. 
 
 This was the first device for measuring direct pressure. It consists of a 
 hollow, cylindrical block, having a round pin or piston extending nearly 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 83 
 
 tlirough a hole in one head, in which it fits closely, and carrying on the inner 
 end a curved or wedge-shaped knife, which rests against a disk of copper 
 within; the other head being closed by a screw-cap supporting the copi)er, 
 and liaving a copper ring in the joint to keep gas from entering the cavity. 
 A cup of copper fits in the hole on the outer end of the piston to act as gas 
 check there. This instrument is placed in tlic bottom of the bore in rear of 
 the cartridge, and in firing the gun the gas pressure forces in the piston and 
 presses the knife into the copper. The knife is so shaped as to make the cut 
 larger the deeper in it goes, so that measuring the length of cut gives the rela- 
 tive pressures in difi'ereiit cases, by comparison with lengths of cut maile by 
 static pressure. From New York Arsenal. 
 
 3. Noble's "crusher" pressure gauge. 
 
 This instrument is of the same general construction as the Rodman, so 
 far as piston and screw-cap are concerned, but a fiat head is substituted for 
 a knife on the inner end of the piston, and small cylinders of copper for the 
 disk. These cylinders are compressed ditforent amounts for different pres- 
 svires, giving a means of comparison. A series of coppers for pressures from 
 15,000 to 50,000 pounds per square incli is shown. 
 
 From New York .\r.senal. 
 
 MEASUREMENT OF VELOCITY. 
 
 Instead of the ballistic pendulum referred to above, electricity is now 
 used, and the methods are illustrated practically in the shooting gallery. 
 
 4. Targets for velocity instruments. 
 
 The target connections are the sauie for the two instruments used in 
 the gallery. The bullet on leaving the gun cuts a small copper wire stretched 
 across the muzzle, this wire being in an electric circuit connecting with the 
 instrument. This is called the 1st target. At a distance of 21 feet in front of 
 
 Fig. tl. 
 
 the muzzle is placed an iron plate, here referred to as the iM target, and 
 on the back of this plate, insulated from it, is a brass disk, fastened to which. 
 
84 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 but insulated from it at the fixed end, is a spring which presses at tlie free 
 end against the disk. Dislc and spring are attached to the opposite poles of 
 another battery, so that electric connection is made at the point of contact 
 of the spring, for a second circuit passing also to the instrument. When the 
 bullet strikes the plate the spring is jarred away from the disk, breaking the 
 circuit. The arrangement of the 1st target is illustrated in figure 44. In 
 carrying out this design, similar to but more compact than one put in use at 
 Frankford Arsenal, much assistance was derived from Mr. Luke Lilley, elec- 
 trician of the E.xposition. A block of vulcanite was perforated to fit over the 
 end of the barrel, as shown in the figune, and at each side, projecting for- 
 ward, is a brass spring, these springs being connected with opposite poles of 
 the 1st circuit. A thin piece of vulcanite in shape of a horse-shoe, as indi- 
 cated in front of the springs, has a fine copper wire passing from arm to arm, 
 and wound round each arm in sockets which fit the springs, so that when this 
 movable piece is pushed up close to the block, and held by the springs, the 
 wire lies across the muzzle, and coming in contact with the springs completes 
 the electrical circuit. Several of these connecting pieces are prepared be- 
 forehand, and when the wire of one is broken, another piece is quickly sub- 
 stituted. The spring at the 2d target re-makes the circuit automatically after 
 breaking. 
 
 The .22 calibre Colt Magazine gun, described above, is used for these ex- 
 periments, as only small charges and bullets would be safe. The space 
 passed over by the bullet is enclosed with a wire netting, which leaves a pas- 
 sage down to the second target for inspection of the electric connection on 
 the back. A fixed rest supports the gun. This is such as is used for testing 
 at Frankford Arsenal, to secure steadiness of the piece. It consists of a heavy 
 frame which can be turned about })oth vertical and horizontal axes at the 
 front, and it has running lengthwise a slide, to which the gun is attached in 
 such a manner that in recoil the plate moves back parallel to the axis of the 
 piece, and does not disturb the aim. This rest is also used in testing the ac- 
 curacy of the arm, and reduced targets are given, showing, from views ob- 
 served in a camera obscura, the grouping of shots at 500 yards when the aim 
 is kept on one point. In a group of ten shots the average distance of the 
 shots from the center of tlie group is less than S inches for the Springfield 
 rifle. 
 
 The Benton double pendulum chroiiograiih, and the Le Boulcnge drop 
 chronograph are used in the gallery for measuring the time of flight be- 
 tween the two targets, which can be connected at will with either instrument. 
 
 5. Benton's Double Pendulum Chronograph. 
 
 This was invented by the late Colonel J. G. Benton, Ordnance Dept., U. 
 S. A. Two pendulums turning on bearings in line with each other are hung 
 in front of the vertical face of a frame having a scale below curved to corres- 
 pond to the motion of the lower ends of the pendulum. An electro-magnet 
 on one side of the axis is connected with one of the target circuits, and a cor- 
 responding electro-magnet on the opposite side is connected with the other 
 circuit. These are placed so that when active each will hold one of the pendu- 
 
War Depart meni Exhibit. 85 
 
 lums horizontiil. The instrument is adjusted so tliat if both currents are 
 broken at the same instant, the penduhiins will cross eacli other at the zero 
 of the scale, when the instrument is leveled so that it is at the bottom jioint. 
 Cross levels allow adjustment by means of screw feet running through three 
 legs and resting on a solid foundation. The currents can be broken simul- 
 taneously by a special disjunctor placed near the instrument. Wlicn the cir- 
 cuits are broken by the passage of the shot, the pendulnms fall successively, 
 and the number of degrees on the scale included between their point of pass- 
 age and the lowest point, gives, by reference to previously calculated tai)lcs, 
 the time intervening between the rupture of the first and second targets. To 
 obtain the velocity, divide the space in feet between the targets by the fraction 
 of a second it took the bullet to pass over the distance. 
 
 The inner pendulum carries a bent lever, a point on the rear lever arm 
 being stained with printer's ink, the arm on the other end projecting to the 
 front so as to l)e struck by a pin projecting from the rear of the front pendu- 
 lum. When the pendulums })ass, the lever is moved, and the inked point 
 is thrown against the silvered scale, indicating the place of meeting. 
 
 The instrument also has attachments, which allow the pendulums to 
 be held up by Unit thrench, one extending to and across the muzzle, and 
 the other to a swingmg plate, where it is clamped. The first thread is broken 
 by the bullet and the second loosened by nu)vement of the plate when struck, 
 so allowing the pendulums to drop. The arrangement for holding up a peiulu- 
 lum is a lever turning a horizontal axis, a shallow notch at the bottom 
 catching the end of the jjendulum when the thread fastened to the top arm is 
 stretched. Fr.iTu Frankford Arsenal. 
 
 6. The Le Boulenge drop chronograph. 
 
 This was invented by Major Le Boulenge, of the Belgian service. It was 
 first introduced to the public here through descriptions translated by Capt. 
 O. E. Michaelis, Ordnance Dept., U. S. A. Instead of two pendulums sup- 
 ported by electro-magnets, two rods are used, which can drop freely when re- 
 leased by demagnetization of the electro-magnets on breaking the currents. 
 One rod is ({uite long and the other short. The magnet holding the long rod 
 is connected with the first target, and the other with the second. The short 
 rod in falling strikes one end of a rocking piece which on the other end has a 
 hook holding back a spring, this spring moving horizontally when released 
 by the jar, and a knife on its free end striking against the long rod as the 
 latter is falling. The long rod is sheathed with a movaljle zinc tube, which 
 receives the blow and becomes indented. A scale is used to measure the 
 height of this indent above the indent which would be made by the knife if it 
 struck while the long rod was still suspended, and this shows the distance the 
 long rod falls before the knife strikes it. The time corresponding to this dis- 
 tance of fall from rest can be readily calculated. If both currents are broken 
 simultaneouslj', by means of a disjunctor like that used with the Benton ma- 
 chine, this gives the time it takes the instrument to work, and adjustment is 
 usually made to have this 15-lOOths of a second for convenieiu'e of reference. 
 If the rods fall through rupture of the currents by the bullet, the time ob- 
 tained is that occupied in the working of the instrument ami in tiie flight of 
 the bullet. The difl'erence between the two times so olitained is the time of 
 
86 War Departfnent Exhibit. 
 
 fliglit. Tables are constructed for a disjunction mark of .15 second, corre- 
 sponding to different distances between targets. 
 
 There is anotlier pL-nduliun chronograpli in the exhibit, one of the earliest 
 forms, the one pendulum Vignotti, not oonneoted with the target. The 
 otliers, partifularly (he drop clironograph, liaving superseded it. 
 
 7. Vignotti one pendulum chronograph. 
 
 This is a device invented about 1857. by Captain Vignotti, of the French 
 army. The one pemhilum is suspended by an electro magnet, as in the two 
 pendulum machine. The pendulum, hung in front of a vertical frame of vul- 
 canite, has at its lower end a pointer projecting backwards, and in the frame, 
 opposite the j)ath described by tliis pointer in the oscillation of the pendidum, 
 is a curved slot covered by a movable metal plate, upon the face of which is 
 stretched a ciu'ved strip of paper imj^regnated with potassium ferro-cyanide. 
 The pendulum is connected with one end of tiie secondary wire of a Ruhm- 
 korffcoil, and tlie plate, insulated from the pendulum, is connected with the 
 other end, so tliat when tlie primary circuit, wliich passes to the targets, is 
 broken, a spark passes between the pointer and the plate, piercing the "paper 
 and discoloring it ])y action on the salt. By a curved scale, below the slot, 
 the number of degrees distance of this mark above the zero can be read off. 
 As originally designed, the pendulum was released by rupture of the first 
 target, and the spark was used only for the second target, and for others in 
 case more tlian two targets were used; but the late Col. Laidley, of the Ord- 
 nance Department, arranged it so that tlie pendulum would drop an instant 
 before, and connected tlie Riihmkorff coil with the first target as well, bring- 
 ing the interval indicating the desired time lower down on the scale, where 
 the motion of the pendulum would be more rapid. 
 
 This instrument is an improvement on the Xavez machine, the earliest 
 form that attracted general attention, in wliich a light arm on the pendulum 
 was stopi)ed by an electro-magnet rendered active by rupture of second target ; 
 the magnet being attached to the standard near the center of motion. 
 
 The credit of first using the spark for an electro-chronograph is due to an 
 American, Professor Henry, whose invention has not been recognized by 
 foreign authors. He used a revolving cylinder having a motion of transla- 
 tion, and a Ruhmkorff coil to make sparks on rupture of the targets ; in an 
 earlier form, described in 1843, using galvanometer needles to make a mark on 
 the cylinder. 
 
 There are many other forms t)f chronograph not sb()wn, but the most 
 practical forms for ordinary use, and especially for tit'ld tests, are those in 
 operation here. 
 
 In Europe, and especially in France, there are many new instruments of 
 great interest, not yet imported, for obtaining velocities and pressures. One 
 instrument, first described here in General Benet's " Electro Ballastic Ma- 
 chines," to be found in the library of the exhibit, was brought from France — 
 the Schutz chronoscope using the induction si>ark with a revolving cylinder 
 
IVar Department Exhibit. 87 
 
 to indicate tlie instant of rupture and measuring the time interval between 
 the marks of the spark by sinuous trace made by a vibrating- tuning' fork on 
 the revolving cylinder. Ft is too bulkv for exhibition here. 
 
 8. Re-loading tools. 
 
 The re-loading of cartridge shells is practiced extensively by tlie U.S. 
 troops at the different posts, and tools made at Krankft)rd Arsenal for the 
 purpose are supplied. A set of hand re-loading tools, such as are issued to 
 each company, is shown ; also a set of bench re-loading tools, as issued one 
 to each post. The bench tools are shown in operation in the gallery, and tlie 
 processes of de-capping, re-sizing, and re-capping the shell, charging with 
 powder and lubricated bullet, and crimping in the latter, can be seen. An 
 imitation of powder, made l)y mixing line hominy with bmii.-l.laek. is used in 
 place of powder to avoid danger of explosion. 
 
 9. Motion of bullets. 
 
 This is illustrated by a special device, which shows to the eye, without 
 the need of diagrams, the following phenomena: 
 
 Accuracy preserved with sight vertical, even if the liarrel is turned about 
 its axis, as with a field gun on uneven ground. 
 
 The deflection caused b;/ incliniiuj the sight to one side. 
 
 The effect of varying charge. 
 
 The influence of weight o\\ balls of the same size projected with equal ve- 
 locity ; the heavier ball being less retarded by the air. 
 
 The influence of size on Ijalls of equal weight: the small hall being less 
 retarded. 
 
 Tlie influence of form on projectiles of equal weight and volume; an 
 elongated projectile, moving point on, suffering less resistance from the air, 
 and carrying further than a round ball of the same weight and volume, or 
 the elongated projectile moving sidewise. 
 
 The influence of wings, front or rear, on equally balanced projectiles; the 
 wings tending to keep the winged end to the rear. 
 
 The influence of the balance of a long projectile, or the position of its cen- 
 ter of gravity ; the projectile keeping point on if the front end is much heavier 
 than the rear, but " tumbling" if the rear end is the heavier. 
 
 The amount of '^drop" in a shot from the line of fire (the prolcmgation 
 of the axis of the barrel) : when the axis is horizontal, a ball droj^ped from 
 the muzzle of the barrel as the projected ball leaves it, reaching the level 
 ground at the same instant as the other; and whatever the inclination of the 
 line of fire, a ball dropped from any point on it meeting tlie other hall in its 
 flight, — consequently reaching the ground at the same time, if the jtoint of 
 suspension is over the point of ground .struck by the proj( etilc. The case of 
 horizontal fire is a particular case of the other. 
 
 The influence of Rotation, on an elongated projectile; the projectile keep- 
 ing its point on when rotating around the longer axis even when the front end 
 is lighter than the rear. 
 
 The gyroscopic effect from the resistance of the air in turning the axis of a 
 rotating projectile not perfectly balanced lengthwise; shown by a tiyinggyro- 
 scope representing the projectile. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 The injiiiencc of the air on rotating round halls; when the rotation is about 
 a vertical axis, as in the " curved ball " of base ball pitchers, the ball moving to 
 the right or left; when the rotation is about the line of tire giving a similar 
 eifect ; and when it is about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the line of fire, 
 giving an upward or downward tendency to the ball. 
 
 The lateral presxKre of the air on rotating elongated projectiles, independent 
 of the gyroscopic action ; a verj' great drop from the line of fire, as in high 
 angle firing, tending to make this influence more important, so that it niay 
 cause a deviation to the opposite side from that due totlie change of direction 
 of the axis from the gyroscopic effect, this change of direction causing the 
 projectile to slide of^, as it were, from the vertical plane of fire. 
 
 10. Targets used in U. S. service. 
 
 Target A, elliptical, used at 100 and 200 yds., regular practice. 
 
 Target B, elliptical, used at 400 to (500 yds.', regular practice. 
 
 Target C, elliptical, used at 800 to 1000 yds., regiilar practice. 
 
 Target D, front silhouette of man standing ready to fire; cloth and paper 
 fastened to a steel frame, skir^nish practice. 
 
 Target E, front silhouette of man kneeling ready to fire; cloth and paper 
 fastened to a steel frame, skirmish practice. 
 
 Target F, front silhouette of man lying down, sk!rinish practice. 
 
 11. Effect of bullets fired against glass. 
 
 A large pane of glass perforated by bullets from Winchester rifles in the 
 Cincinnati riots of 1884. 
 
 From the windows of the Danbury Hat Store, Main street. 
 
 RELICS AND MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES. 
 
 ANTIQUE AND CURIOUS WEAPONS. 
 
 Straight sword from India. History unknown. 
 
 Persian sword and scabbard, inlaid with silver. Blade covered with 
 proverbs in Arabic, taken from the Koran. 
 
 iScimiter, with scabbard. India. History unknown. 
 
 Short sword, with scabbard, from India. 
 
 Short sword, with scabbard, from India. Inlaid with silver. 
 
 Japanese fan dagger. 
 
 Lady's "Punch" (dagger), with scabbard. East Indian. 
 
 Two Persian daggers, with scabbard. Inlaid with silver. Blade cov- 
 ered with inscriptions in Arabic, probal)ly taken from the Koran. 
 
 African assegai. 
 
 East Indian chief's sword. Captured at siege of Delhi. 
 
 Sword of pattern carried in 1610. History unknown. 
 
War Department Exhibit. gp 
 
 Antique sword, corresponding with latter half ..f Kith Centiirv 
 Japanese executioner's sword. 
 Sword formerly worn bj' Japanese otiicial 
 
 Japanese lances. A very full and interestiug c.llectio., „f diflercnt 
 makes. 
 
 Spanish pike. Presented by Col. Juan J. Marin. Roval Spanish Knuiuoer. 
 Three European Lances. Modern. 
 
 Halberd, a combination of jnlce and battle axe. rse.l princinallv in 1.5th 
 and 16th Century. ' '' 
 
 Anti(]uc fauchard. 
 
 Bill. Used by foot soldiers of the time of Poitiers, 1.^5(!. 
 
 French helmet. From battle-field of Sedan. Shows mark of sal.re .stroke 
 
 French cuirass. From battle-field of Sedan. Pierced by a bullet from a 
 Prussian needle gun. 
 
 The above collection is from tlie National .\rinorv. 
 
 MEMENTOES OF THE REVOLUTION AND WAR 
 OF 1812. 
 
 Badge of the Society of the Cincinnati, worn by Cien'l Wm. Burnet, Phy- 
 sician and Surgeon Gen'l in the Army of the United States, with certificate of 
 membership signed by George Washington. Loaned by Mr. Wm. Burnet, 
 Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Certificate of membershi]) of Col. Oliver Spencer, Society of the Cincin- 
 nati, signed by George Washington. Loaned by Mr. Wm. Williamson, New- 
 port, Ky. 
 
 British officer's gorget, picked up after the battle of Saratoga. 
 
 Old sword, supposed to have been presentbd by Frederick IL, Landgrave 
 of Hesse, to the commanding officer of his troops, sent against the new Re- 
 public of the United States. 
 
 Three shot dug up at Fort Montgomery, West Point, N. Y. 
 
 Two bullets, American and British, found on the battle-ground at 
 Lundy's Lane, Canada, after the battle fought between the American and 
 British troops on the 25th day of July, 1814. Presented to Military Academy 
 by Lucius D. Hill, late Col. N. Y. Tnft., Oct., 1884. 
 
 MEMENTOES OF THE MEXICAN WAR. 
 
 Mexican flag-staffs. 
 
 Copy of a letter from General Scott accompanying the flag-staffs and de- 
 scribing them : 
 
 West Point, N. Y., Sept. 17, 1848. 
 
 Sir— I ofier through you to the United States Military Academy sections 
 of seven flag-statfs, taken by the gallant army of the United States in the 
 campaign that commenced at Vera Cruz and terminated in the Capital of 
 Mexico. Four other staffs captured with the strong works, viz., the intrenched 
 
 X 
 
90 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 camp of Contreras, the Convent of Churubnsco, the bridge head of Churu- 
 bnsco, and tlie Citadel of Mexico, were divided into small individual trophies 
 by our officers and men, before my wishes on the subject had become gener- 
 ally known. Of course all cai)tured flags, colors, etc., were, as national tro- 
 phies, sent to Washington. Tlie following inscriptions have been placed on 
 the respective objects : 
 
 1st. Part of the flag-staff of the Castle of Han Juan de Ulua, Vera Cruz, 
 taken by the American army, March 29th, 1847. 
 
 2d. Part of the flag-staff of Fort San lago, Vera Cruz, taken by the 
 American army, ^larch 29th, 1847. 
 
 3d. Part of the flag-staff of Fort Coiiception, Vera Cruz, taken bj- the 
 American army, March 29tli, 1847. 
 
 4th. Part of the flag-staff of Cerro Gordo, taken hy the American army, 
 April 18th, 1847. 
 
 5th. Part of the flag-staff of the Castle of Perote, taken liy the American 
 army, April 23, 1847. 
 
 6th. Part of the flag-staff of the Castle of Chapultepec, taken ])y the 
 American army, September 13, 1847. 
 
 7th. Part of the flag-staff of the National Palace of Mexico, taken by the 
 American array, September 14, 1847. 
 
 At the foot of each inscription this line is added : " The plates and caps 
 (all brass) made of the mountings of captured muskets." It may be worth 
 stating that the caps and plates were made in the Citadel of Mexico by the 
 mechanics of our own army. 
 
 As under Providence it was mainly to the Military Academy that the 
 United States became indebted for these brilliant achievements and other 
 memorable victories in the same war, I have a livelj' pleasure in tendering 
 the seven trophies (serai-national) to the mother of so manj' accomplished 
 soldiers and patriots. If acceptable, please give them such place of deposit 
 in the Academy as you maj' deem appropriate. 
 
 With high respect and esteem, I remain, yours faithfully, 
 
 (Signed) Winfield Scott. 
 
 Captain Henry Breweetox, Superintendent U. S. INIilitary Academy. 
 
 The above articles, with numerous others from West Point, were furnished 
 through the courtesy of Bvt. Major Gen. .1. G. Parke, Supt. of the ^lilitary 
 Academy. 
 
 Flag carried by Duncan\<< Battcnj through the Mexican War. 
 
 Wheel from Duncan's Battery. 
 The names of the following battles the battery was in are printed on the 
 wheel: Battle of Churubusco, Aug. 20, 1847; battle of Vera Cruz, March, 
 1847; battle of Monterey, Sept. 21, 22, 23, 1846; battle of Resaca de la Palraa, 
 May 9, 1846; battle of Palo Alto, May 8, 1846; battle of City of Mexico, Sept. 
 12, 13, 14, 1847; battle of Chapultepec, Sept. 12, 1847; battle of Molino Del 
 Rey, Sept. 8, 1847. This wheel shows two of the spokes spread apart by the 
 blow of a cannon ball. The battery flag is wrapped around the wheel. 
 
 Two Mexican cannon balls of copper. 
 
JVar Department Exhibit. 91 
 
 MEMENTOES OF THE REBELLION. 
 
 Seven John Brown I'ikc.^. 
 
 " By far the larger proportion of John Brown's Pikes were sliipped oft" to 
 the South by Floyd during Buchanan's administration, and during the latter 
 days of the war, when the Confederates were out of arms, money, and eredit, 
 these pikes and a quantity of scythes were used to arm a Texas regiment, 
 from which they were captured and stored at :Mt. Vernon, Ala., Arsenal, 
 which was burned above them. The Government then sent them to the 
 Arsenal, Rock Island, 111., to be rolled into new iron, but as the rolling mill 
 was not in operation, they were sold." — Newspaper extract. 
 
 From National .Vrmory. 
 
 Flag-staff i>f Fort Sumter. 
 
 A piece fifteen feet long of the staO' that stood on Fort Sumter whei» sur" 
 rendered. 
 
 First shot fired at Fort Sumter. From West Point. 
 
 First shot fired from Fort Sumter; April 13, 1861. Found in the quarters 
 of Gen. Beauregard. From West Point. 
 
 Model of SuHorip Aiujel Battcri/. 
 
 The labor of constructing this battery was mostly performed at night, by 
 Col. E. W. Serrell's regiment of N. Y. Volunteer Engineers. The 200-i>ounder 
 Parrott, mounted in it, was transported by water to the creek landing, just in 
 front of the battery. The battery was 7,000 yards distant from the nearest 
 point of the city of Charleston. The gun was tired with a charge of 16 pounds 
 of powder, at an elevation of 37 degrees, and some of the shells were charged 
 with tubes of Greek tire. 
 
 Froiu Governor's Island Museum, by permission of the owiu'r, (fen. W. 
 W. H. Davis, of Philadelphia. 
 
 Sketch of Swamp Angel Batter II. Showing mortars which replaced the 
 200-pounder Parrott rifle. 
 
 The sketch was made and loaned by <'ol. .T. W. Abert, late of corps of 
 engineers, U. S. Army, now living at Newport, Ky. 
 
 Joined bullets. 
 
 T\vo bullets, one Federal and one Confederate, which met in the air at 
 the battle of Petersburg, and were found on the field joined togetluT. Pre- 
 sented to Ordnance Office by Brevet Lieut. Col. E. Rice. 
 
 Bullet. Entered the body of John M. Roberts, Co. F, SM Indiana Vol., 
 at Vicksburg, Miss., May 19, 1863. Loaned by Mr. Rol)erts. 
 
 Field office wagon, used by the late Maj. Gen'i George H. Tiiomas during 
 the Atlanta campaign. 
 
 Rifle musket from battle-field of the Civil War; barrel perforated by ludlet. 
 
 Rifle musket from battle-field; bullet imbedded in barrel near front sight. 
 
 /,'//(' musket from battle-field. Barrel burst by meeting of two bullets. 
 
 Oak tree cut down by bullets at Spottsi/lvania. 
 
 Section of an oak tree which stood inside the Confederate intrenchments 
 at the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, May 12. 1864. It was cut down 
 by musket balls during the attempt to recapture the works previously car- 
 
92 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 ried by the 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, May 12, 18(U. Presented to the 
 Ordnance Museum by Brevet Maj. Gen'l N. A. Miles, and transferred to Na- 
 tional Museum in 1888. Returned from Sniitlisonian Institution for exhibit 
 in the War Department section through the courtesy of Profess(jr Q. Brown 
 Goode. 
 
 Model of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, South Carolina. Scale 1" to 25', 
 1-300. Made by Col. J. W. Abert. Loaned by W. B. Carpenter, Esq., Presi- 
 dent of Cincinnati Mercantile Library. 
 
 .1 portion of Fort Wagner flag-mtaff. 
 
 Rail twistedhii the ssoldiers of Gen'l Sherman's army in the campaign of 1864. 
 Western and Atlantic R. R. Presented by Lt. Col. W. R. King, Corps of En- 
 gineers, U. S. Army. To disable railroads the rails were placed over bonfires 
 until red hot in the middle, and then the soldiers seized them by the ends 
 and ran against a tree or telegraph pole to bend tlie rail. 
 
 Model of a block-house. Devised by Lt. Col. Wm. E. Merrill, Corps of 
 Engineers, U. S. A., and used in the Department of the Cumberland for the 
 defense of railroad bridges. Block-houses of this form were designed to be 
 defended by musketry, and to withstand the effects of field artillery. They 
 are square in form. They have two stories, tiie lower being formed of a double 
 thickness of heavy logs, and loop-holed. The upper story is smaller, of lighter 
 construction, and is intended to afford a look-out and more comfortable quar- 
 ters when the garrison is not engaged, but to be aliandoned in action, the occu- 
 pants retreating to the lower story. The block-house is surrounded by a 
 ditch, from the bottom of which an embankment is run to the under side of 
 the loop-holes. Colonel Merrill designed several other block-houses, for vari- 
 ous purposes, descriptions and drawings of which may be found in the ap- 
 pendix to Van Horn's History of the Army of the Cumberland. 
 
 Confederate torpedo — tin. Intended to sink the U. S. gunboats on the 
 blockade at the mouth of St. John's rivfer, Florida. Charge, 75 pounds pow- 
 der. Presented to Military Academy by Lieut. Col. W. Burns. 
 
 Confederate torpedo— tin. Fretwell's Percussion. Presented to Military 
 Academy by Guy V. Henry, 1st Lieut. 1st Artillery, and Col. 40th [Mass. 
 Volunteers— commanding U. S. forces at W^est Point, Va.,— since Major 9th 
 Cavalry. 
 
 Confederate torpedo — copper. A line of these torpedoes was stretched across 
 the Louisville road, in front of the rebel works at Savannah, Ga. Presf^nted 
 to Military Academy by A. Baird. 
 
 Confederate keg torpedo. From light-house inlet, Charleston, S. C. Pre- 
 sented to Military Academy by Lieut. Com. Geo. Bacon, V. S. N. 
 
 Death of Lt. Cushing at battle of Gettysburg. Picture in frame, loaned 
 by Mr. Alfred Holmes, in charge of Philii)poteaux's Cyclorama of the Battle 
 of Gettysburg. 
 
 Fonr teen swords, Confederate. Fnim National Arnmry Museum. 
 
 Jefferson l)ari.'<' rifle. Taken at timcof his cai)ture. 
 
 SHOT .\XD SHEI.L. 
 
 These are from the collection made by Bvt. Brig. Gen'l H. L. Al)bot, after 
 the war, and presented to the Military Academy. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 93 
 
 Shot with wire tlirouj^h renter, Confederate; winged shot, Confederate, 
 from battle-field in Pennsylvania; two wrought iron shot. Confederate, Fort 
 Fisher; Confederate shot, pierced with small holes; two ritle shot for breech 
 loader, Confederate ; two case sliot, Confederate ; two shell (tired), Confederate ; 
 shot with copper band. Confederate ; shot with copper cup and wooden 
 sabot. Confederate; composition shot, hard rubber. Confederate; baj; of 
 grape, cut links, Confederate; turbine shot, hole throufi:h center; Abljot's 
 sliot; Cochran's diagonal shot, with two lead bands; Lawson's shot; two 
 Ritner and Day's lead shot ; diagonal shot; 32-pounder shot (lired), lead base ; 
 chain shot and case ; chain sliot, with two balls attached ; chain shot in four 
 parts ; Huginin ; Sawyer ; 8-inch Armstrong.blind : Mclntyre's repeating ; Dini- 
 mick; Stafford; 7-incli Sclicnkl; 10-inch mortar with handles; Sawyer ex- 
 perimental and other shell ; 21 pdr. canister; 12 pdr. stand of grape; 12 pdr. 
 stand of grape, quilted ; 21 pdr. stand of grape ; Wliitwortb sliort sliell ; .s-in(;h 
 carcass ribbed ; light ball. 
 
 Capt. McCarthy, (Commanding Battery B, 1st Regiment of Artillery 0. 
 N. G., at Cincinnati, also loaned a nund>er of shot and shell, relics of the 
 Rebellion. 
 
 RELICS OF GREELY EXPEDITION. 
 
 The Grcely Arctic fla'j; Lady Franklin P.iiy l^.xpedition, l,S.Sl-84. I^oaned 
 by Mrs. A. W. Greely. 
 
 This flag was made by Mrs. A. \V. Greely, and was intrusted to Octave 
 Pary, M. D., and was carried by him to Greenland in a private Arctic Expedi- 
 tion of 1880. Dr. Pary delivered it to Lieut. A. \\. Greely. 5th Cavalry at 
 Rittenbenk. Greenland, in July, 1881. The flag was carried in May, 1882, by 
 Lieut. Lockwood, 23d Infantry, to latitude 83 degrees, 25 minutes, longi- 
 tude 40 degrees, 46 minutes; and was there unfurled by him at the nearest 
 point to the North Pole ever attained by man. In the summer of 1882, the 
 flag was carried by Lieut. Greely in to the interior of Grinnell Land, and was 
 unfurled by him July 4th, froni the highest point in Grinnell Land, the sum- 
 mit of Mt. Chester A. Arthur, 4,500 feet above the sea. 
 
 In 1883. it was carried to the shores of the polar ocean north of Green- 
 lan.l l)y Lieut. Lockwood ; taken again by Lieut. Lockwood southwest across 
 Grinnell Land to the western polar ocean, where it was dis|)layed on the 
 shore of Greely Fiord, May Kith. 
 
 The flag was also displayed on the launch Lady Greely on a trij) made dur- 
 ing the summer of 1882, into Weyprecht Fiord, to the head of Laily Franklin 
 Sound, and down Kennedy Channel to Cape Craigcroft; and during the re- 
 treat from Fort Conger to Cai)e Sabin in autumn of 18S4. The flag has been 
 four years in the Arctic Cuxle, and has been unfurle.l nearer the North Pole 
 than any other flag in the world. 
 
 Loaned by permission of :Mrs. Greely, from the Museum at Covernor s 
 
 Island. , r .1 IT vj w- 
 
 Sraall block of wood from the sheeting next to the keel of the V. ^. S. 
 
 Bear, of the Greely Relief Expe.lition of 1884. , , ,. 
 
 Small block of wood from the keel of the F. S. S. 15ear. of the Greely Re- 
 lief Expedition of 1884. 
 
94 Wat Departinent Exhibit. 
 
 Piece of ivood taken from the shoe over the propeller of the flagship 
 Thetis, of the Greely Relief Expedition of 1884. 
 
 Small block of wood from the keel of the U. S. S. Bear, of the Greely Re- 
 lief Expedition of 1884. 
 
 Wdotlen cane, made from the keel of the U. S. S. Bear, of the Greely Relief 
 Expedition of 1884. 
 
 Bottle of mm. taken from cache in Littleton Island hy Greely Relief Ex- 
 pedition, 1884. Deposited by Beebe in 1882. Presented hy Lieut. 8. C. Lemly, 
 U. S. Navy, to Capt. Geo. E. Pond, A. Q. M! U. S. Army, and loaned hy ('apt. 
 Pond to Museum, at Governor's Island. 
 
 Piece of leather: the last rations of the Greely Arctic Exploring Expe- 
 dition, taken from Camp Clay hy Lieut. J. C. Colwell, U. S. Navy. TJiey had 
 lived on this and rock lichen for about three months. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS MODERN ARMS, FLAGS, TENTS, 
 
 ETC. 
 
 Fourteen sword and sabre blades, heavy and light, nearly all of "Toledo" 
 manufacture. 
 
 Fourteen swords and sabres, old model, with brass or bone hilt, hearly all 
 for light artillery. 
 
 Board of sworils; showing cadet sword, staff and foot officers' swords, 
 cavalry officer's sabre and their scabbards, in various stages of manufacture. 
 
 Board of twenty-four trowel bayonets ; comprising wooden models of com- 
 bination and trowel bayonet blades, by Col. .7. G. Benton, Ordnance Dept. , 
 and Felix (Jhillingworth; Rice's trowel bayonets, and various bowie knives, 
 hunting knives and intrenching tools, intended to be attached as a bayonet 
 to the rifie ; one intrenching tool formed on bayonet scabbard. 
 
 Breech Loadimj Rifle (Springfield); calibre, .50; model, 1868. Turned in 
 from the field; stock broken, barrel broken and twisted; breech and lock 
 mechanism perfect. Illustrates the serviceableness of Springfield breech 
 action. 
 
 Cadet fencing musket and bayonet. 
 
 Common bayonets and suvrd bayonets. A large number fixed on boards 
 and used for decoration. 
 
 Prepared by Lieut. C. H. Clark, Ordnance Dept., National Armor^'. 
 
 Flags of different nations, used for decoration, and supplied by the Navj' 
 Department. 
 
 United States flags. A large number hung from the walls for decoration. 
 
 Supplied by the Q. M. Dept. 
 
 Models of tents; hospital, wall, common and shelter tents, and Sibley 
 conical tents, one made with vertical walls at the bottom. 
 
 Furnished by the Qr. M. Dept. 
 
 Locking rack for carbines and pistols. Will hold 20 guns and 20 revolvers 
 securelj^ locked in place; revolvers above carbines. Rock Island Arsenal. 
 
 Locking rack for rifles. Holds 18 Springfield rifles, with bayonets attached. 
 Loaned by Capt. J. L. Tiernon, 3d Art'y, Newport Barracks, Ky. 
 
 Settees and chairs were placed in the exhibit, loaned by thf Bromwell 
 Brush and Wire Co., Cincinnati. 
 
War Department Exhibit. 95 
 
 UNIFORMS AND ACCOUTREMENTS. 
 
 These are exhibited on hiy figures of men dressed in uniform, armed and 
 equipped. All init the first lii>ure came from the (Quartermaster's Depot, 
 Jettersonville, Indiana. The figures are scattered about the exhilMt. 
 
 1. Minute Man of the Revolution. 
 
 Dressed in brown coat with cape, scarlet waistcoat, l<uee-breeches, sioucii 
 hat, shoes with silver buckles; powder-liorn slung over shoulder; s<|uirrel 
 rifle in hand. This figure staiuls resting against the gun and carriage cap- 
 tured at Saratoga. From N'atinnal Armory. 
 
 2. Commissary sergeant ; full dress. 
 
 3. Hospital steward ; full dress. 
 
 4. Chief trumpeter of cavalr)' ; full dress. 
 
 5. Private of artillery, time of war ; full dress. 
 
 6. Private of cavalry, time of war; full dress. 
 
 7. Private of infantry, time of war; full dress. 
 
 8. Musician of infantry ; full dress. 
 
 9. Chief trumpeter of artillery ; full dress. 
 10 Private of artillery ; full dress. 
 
 11. Corporal of ordnance, time of war; full dress. 
 
 12. Private of artillery ; fatigue uniform. 
 
 13. Private of infantry, present time; full dress. 
 
 14. Private of cavalry, present time ; full dress. 
 
 15. Private of iniantry, present time ; fatigue uniform. 
 
 This figure shows the soldier equipped for the field with blanket, over- 
 coat, canteen, cup, and witli haversack containing meat can, plate, knife, 
 fork, spoon, etc. Armed with rifle, and wearing the Mdls wovcn-loop cart- 
 ridge belt with 45 cartridges. 
 
 MODEL HORSE WITH CAVALRY EQUIPMENTS OF LATEST PATTERN. 
 
 The special changes in equipment consist in the adoption of tiie .Shoe- 
 maker curb bit, with device to prevent shortening the cheek strap in pulling 
 rein ; the use of a carbine boot attached to the saddle in plaw? of the old 
 socket attached to saddle straps; the addition of an infantry liaversnck, with 
 meat can, etc., to the equipment; adoption of a short canteen strap with 
 spring hook for fastening to saddle ; and arrangements for attaching saber to 
 saddle or belt at will by detachable saber slings after the model of the old 
 Stuart attachment. The saddle has been improved in outline and made 
 flatter under the bars. The Mills woven-loop cartridge belt is used, with 
 buckle in place of belt plate; and a narrower carbine sling is adopted. 
 
96 
 
 War Department Exhibit. 
 
 The model sliows the horse equipped for the field, and a lay figure of cav- 
 alry private stands by the side. 
 
 KrJtitn chcck-n-ln atturhmcitt. This is shown on the horse. It consists of 
 a spring enclosed in rubber and attached to the hit, an extra rein leading 
 from it. The rein can be caught over the pommel of the saddle, bringing 
 slight pressure on the bit and controlling the horse, i)ut leaving him some 
 freedom of motion. 
 
 Figure 45 shows the construction of this attachmciif , and figure 46 repre- 
 sents the use on the horse. The model horse was furnished through the 
 courtesy of Mr. Mosby and Mr. Fisher, Society of Cincinnatus in this city. 
 
 Fig. 46. 
 
War Department Exhibit. g-j 
 
 SIGNAL SERVICE EXHIBIT. 
 
 This consi^^ts mainly of instruments usc.l in observations for forecasting 
 the weather. Besides these instruments a full kit for field signaling with 
 fiags and torches is displayed. Daily weather maps and reports are shown. 
 
 The instruments ineludc mercurial antl aneroid barometers, and a large 
 number of thermometers : common, sub-standard, minimum, solar-radiatinn, 
 wet and dry bulb thermometers. 
 
 There are also the following instruments, which reijuire to be more fully 
 described : 
 
 1. Sensitive minimum thermometer for ground radiation. 
 
 In this form of thermometer a degree of sensil)ility is claimed to be at- 
 tained equal to mercury for terrestrial radiation. The bulb consists of a long 
 cylinder of glass, hollow, and about which a second cylinder is blown and 
 united at the open ends, so as to leave a thin space between them to contain 
 the alcohol. The stem of the thermometer is connected to a middle point in 
 the outer cylinder. In this form of bulb there is a large surface, both internal 
 and external, for the air to come in contact with, and the volume is small, 
 making the instrument extremely sensitive. 
 
 2. Piche evaporimeter. 
 
 This consists of a glass tube nine inches in length, graduated to show the 
 contents in cubic centimetres and tenths. It is filled with water (preferably 
 distilled water) and suspended vertically by an eye at the top. On the lower 
 open end of the tube is a disk of paper, kept in place by a brass spring, 
 attached to a slitted collar that moves along the tube. 
 
 Evaporation takes place from the surface of the paper. The amount, in 
 cubic centimetres, in any time is given by the difference in the readings 
 of the top of the column of water at the beginning and end of the time. The 
 amount of paper surface from wliich evaporation takes place varies slightly 
 in the diiTerent instruments, depending on the diameters of the glass tubes, 
 which vary from 14.0 to 15.5 millimetres. There is about 11 square centimetres 
 of surface exposed. The evaporation from a paper surface, such as is fur- 
 nished with these instruments, is about one and one-third times greater than 
 that from an equal suiface of water contained in a shallow dish. 
 
 The object of observations with these instruments is to ascertain the re- 
 lation between the amount of evaporation and the mean daily temperature 
 and dew-point, as determined by the whirled wet and dry thermometer and 
 the wind velocity. 
 
 3. Standard rain gauge. 
 
 The standard rain gauge of the Signal Service consists of three parta, 
 
War Department Exhibit. 
 
 viz : The collector, the receiver and the overflow. The collector is funnel- 
 shaped, eight inches in diameter rtthe top. The receiver is cylindrical, 2.53 
 inches in diameter, and 20 inches deep. The overflow is (J inches in diameter 
 and 22 inches deep. 
 
 4. Standard snow gauge. 
 
 The standard snow gauge of the Signal Service consists of a cylinder S 
 inches in diameter and 20 inches deep. 
 
 5. Draper's self-recording thermometer. 
 
 This is a metallic thermometer. Strips of steel and brass about twelve 
 inches long are soldered throughout their length. The difference in their ex- 
 pansions cause changes in the curvature of the strips, one end of which is 
 
 Kig. 47. 
 
 fi.xed. The movements of the other end, by a suitable device, produces a mo- 
 tion of the registering jien. The record being a line traced on a disk, has the 
 advantage over such as make tracings on a cylinder, that the record for a 
 
War Department Exhibit. 99 
 
 week can he seen without inconvenience. The disk holding record paper is 
 made to revolve once a week by means of clock-work. For the purpose of 
 insuring greater accuracy in the record at times when the temi)eraturo is 
 changing from rising to falling, or the reverse, the instrument is provided 
 with two compound strips, so arranged as to curve in opposite directions, as 
 temperature changes. See figure 47. 
 
 6. Robinson's anemometer. 
 
 The instrument used by the Signal Service for measuring the velocity of 
 tlie wind is a modification of the Robinson anemometer, so arranged that it 
 can be easily erected. The frame oilers little surface to obstruct the passage 
 of the wind, and the velocity may be read either directly from the anemometer 
 itself, or the instrument may be connected with an electric self-register and a 
 continuous record obtained upon prepared forms. The latter method is 
 followed in the exhilnt. The anemometer is set on top of the E.vposition 
 building, with electric connections running to the register. 
 
 The velocity of the air, or wind, ranges from an almost imperceptible 
 movement to that of one or more miles per nunute. On account of the fric- 
 tion resulting from the moving air in contact with the surface of the earth, 
 or objects upon the earth, the movement of the air is retarded near the sur- 
 face. It is estimated that the effect of this friction decreases from 20 to 50 
 per cent, for the first hundred feet above tlie earth, and gradually diminishes 
 until it is believed to have but little effect at an elevation of 10,000 feet. To 
 reduce the effect of this friction instruments designed to measure the velocity 
 of the wind should be placed as far above the earth and away from obstruc- 
 tions as practicable. 
 
 The rapidity with which the air moves upon the earth's surface at the 
 several points of observation has an important bearing upon future meteor- 
 ological conditions, and careful judgment should be exercised in selecting 
 points of measurement where the influence of surrounding objects is reduced 
 to a minimum, and the instrument is supported upon a lirm basis and kept in 
 good running order. 
 
I 
 
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