A NEW MACHINE GUN.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 6061, 21 September 1894, Page 3

A NEW MACHINE GUN.

New destructive engines of war are still the order of the day. Thu terrible capacity of maohine guns was vividly brought home to tbe publio mind by tbe way ia which the Maxims mowed the Matabele down on their native soil m Matabeleland. Now a new maohine gun, for which great destructive powers are claimed, is introdaoed to public notice. This is the Garland gun, which was on trial lately at Westcombo Park, near Greenwich. It is the invention of Colonel Garland, United States, and is a combination of a one-pounder and two half-pounders. The one-pound barrel is breeoh-loading bat the two smaller barelU were fed with cartridges dropped into » sort of pooket at each side. The heavier arm of the gun was not m work* ing order, and the demonstration was confined to firing the half-pounders, whioh ia done by turning a handle after the Btyle of a barrel organ. This produced the familiar "Pow, pow, pow," that so distressed the poar Matabele, The gun was fired at a one* inch steel plate, which tbe shells penetrated* The charge used *#ith the half pound shells ii 2ioz of biaok powder. The two small barrels fire alternately m rapid succession, a great number of shots being possible per minute, and one barrel can be shut oS, leaving ooly oce m action. The gun oan be swung round on a pivot with comparative eate. It will bejae en tbat three persons are oteesiary to work it, one at each eid.fi p'^oing tho car* tridges m the popketr, while a third turns the aU>importq,nt handle that sets the diaoharging meobhnism m motion- A distinguishing feature is the heavy shot earned by the- gun, whioh is looked upon at likely to be useful for attacking torpedo boats.