THE MONTIGNY GUN.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 738, 17 November 1870, Page 2

THE MONTIGNY GUN.

(From the " Standard," 15th August.) In the present age every war seeins to be characterised by the appearance of some new ageut of destruction. The French campaign in Italy showed the prowess of rifled cannon. The American struggle developed ironclads, monitors aud torpedoes. The war between Prussia and Austria established the reputation of breech-loading firearms. Now comes the conflict between Franco and Prussia, in which the mitrailleuse has made itself notorious. But at present the mitrailleuse has a doubtful fame, and in order to test it the British government has set on foot an extensive series of experiments at Shoeburyncss. The particular kind of mitrailleuse which we are thus trying is the Montigny, as improved by Major Fosbery. But we confess to a good deal of surprise at the slow rate of firing accomplished by this weapon. The nine-pounder bi-onze field gun for India, a muzzle loader, has been made to deliver eleven rounds in two minutes, while the Montigny, on Thursday and Friday, never went beyond six. It was reported that the mitrailleuse could accomplish ten rouuds per minute, whereas we find fit delivers only threo. Something is said about the cartridges not being properly adapted to the gun, whereby two sources of delay are occasioned, Iu the first place the cartridges do net always go readily into the barrels, and in the next place the empty cases are not effectually withdrawn. Therefore it cannot be said that the mitrailleuse is working with its maximum effect. Another question is this—whether Major Fosbery's alterations have reduced the speed with which the machine can be worked. It seems remarkable that a muzzleloading field gun should be made to fire at very nearly twice the rate of an apparatus in which machinery is designed to give the utmost rapidity to the discharge of bullets. Nor doea the mitrailleuse transcend the field gun in the number of bullets which it throws in a given time. Six discharges of the mitrailleuse, accomplished in two minutes, send 222 bullets against the foe. But the Indian gun, firing case shot, launches 170 bullets at each discharge. On the first day ten rounds of case were thus fired in two minutes, which would amount to 1100 bullets, or about five times as many bullets as the mitrailleuse sends forth when fired at its present maximum of six times in the two minutes. Neither are the bullets of the field gun much lighter than those of the mitrailleuse. If the now machine wore to fire at the rate of ten volleys per minute it would only discharge 370 bullets, while five

ounds of case from the Indian gun rould propel 650 bullets. ~ In the latter of range the field gun in all robability will be found highly dofcructive at a distance which will ender the mitrailleuse powerless.