DEADLY BULLETS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIX, Issue 13137, 27 May 1903, Page 5

DEADLY BULLETS.

That paper bullets should be more destructive than leaden ones appears startling, yet experiments have shown this to be the case. For destructive purposes, says the “ Regiment,” speed, rather than compo i sition of the missile, tells at a short range. Thus, a paper bullet passing through SIX PIECES OF TIN, placed at a distance of a foot apart, buckled them up so as to be of no further use, whereas a metal bullet merely left a email round hole, and in no way disfigured the tin. At some manoeuvres of the Austrian amr, some three years ago, five men were billed by bullets composed purely of paper, while again this year, several soldiers were seriously injured with missiles made of papier maohe, and these fired at a distance of a quarter of a mile, from Mannlicher rifles. It is possible, However, to make a paper missile even more dangerous. An ordinary case of paper, filled with water, would kill a man at a hundred yards. Strange as it ■nay seem, this comparatively useless misile will tear a rent in a deal board like A SHELL ON WEAK ABHOTTB PLATS, maple evidence of the truth of the assertion that speed is more powerful than resistance. Few would expect toflml anything dead-

ly about a wax candle; yet t like papeSV one can do more damage than a Dum-Dum bullet. When the candle is fired from a shot-gun, with a velocity of 700 ft a Moood on leaving the muzzle,.it trill pass through a plank and into three feet of earth .at a distance of ten yards. At a greater distance, it is impossible to maintain the velocity to make it penetrate SUCH A TAEGJET. That proves beyond doubt that although the object fired at may possess greater powers of resistance, it .is unable to withstand a missile of comparatively soft composition travelling at a high velocity. Thus it appears that a comparatively harmless composition may be transformed into a very dangerous missile, quite jm capable of taking life as a bullet from a LeiEnfleld rifle, and which during a sfewsu Should the ammunition supply fall, might be found extremely useful. . '