NEW MACHINE-GUN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1935, Page 7

NEW MACHINE-GUN.

Britain Adopts Czecho-Slovak Weapon. REPLACING THE LEWIS. LOXDOX, July 31. The fact that the British Army's Lewis gun is to be replaced by a Czeeho-Slovakian lipht machine-gun was announced by Mr. Douglas Hacking, Financial Secretary to the War Office, in the House of Commons. The new weapon will be manufactured at the Royal small arms factory at Enfield. The "Daily Telegraph" says the gun is named the Bren. It can be used on a bipod or a tripod, or from the shoulder. Its calibre is .303, and it weighs with a bipod 211b, or 01b less than the Lewis gun. It fires 550 rounds a minute and fs operated by gas pressure. It jams less than the Lewis gun, and also is suitable for cavalry.

U.S. "MYSTERY RAY." Detect Enemy Vessels 50 Miles Off Shore. SUCCESSFUL TESTS. NEW YORK, July 31. The United States Army Signal Corps has perfected a "mystery ray." Tests have revealed the ability of this ray to detect the exact position of an enemy vessel up to 50 miles off shore, even when anchored and without her motors running. The tests were made in the highlands of New Jersey, with the area so closely guarded that* there is no Information regarding the principle involved in the apparatus. A night test with a powerful searchlight proved successful against a coastguard cutter operating five miles off shore. By the use of the new ray the position of the cutter was so accurately determined that the searchlight was aimed at it, and when it was turned on immediately spotted the craft. It is said that if a gun had been used instead of the light direct hits would have resulted. GERMAN BATTLESHIPS. New Craft Can Outrange British Vessels. MAN STRENGTH DOUBLED. LONDON, July 31. The "Daily Telegraph" naval correspondent states that Germany's two 20 000-ton battleships are rapidly approaching the launching stage. They will be named Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Outstanding features of the ships are their speed of more than 30 knots, their robust protection and their electricallyworked gun mountings which will enable them to fire three aimed rounds a minute per gun. These guns will outrange those of every British ship except the Nelson, the Rodney and the Hood. Two cruisers, several destroyers and at least 12 submarines also are expected to be afloat by the end of the year. The' German naval personnel last year totalled 15,000, but now it is estimated at 30,000.