ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE NEEDLE GUN.

Grey River Argus, Issue 115, 6 October 1866, Page 3

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE NEEDLE GUN.

The Paris correspondent of the " Liverpool Journal" narrates as folloAvs the toils and disappointments of the inventor of the needle gun : — It is Avell known to be the produce of the long study and perseverance of au English officer Avho, Avliile stationed at a solitary out-post in Canada, amused his leisure hourffl|Avith experiments in the rough construction of a substitute for the rifle which he had damaged by letting it drop down a precipice Avhilj||n pursuit' of a bear. It was almost by accident that tho discovery became palpable to the } solitary hunter in the Avoods. But no sooner did it become manifest to his 1 senses than he resigned his commission in the army, returned to Europe, and, as a matter of course, hurried to the Waroffice with his invention, certain of its adoption in the English army, from its evident superiority over the old-fashioned weapon in use. For more than a year was the inventor kept in suspense. The Enfield rifle met him at every turn. He Avas bandied about from one official to another during all this time merely to be told at last that Government did not feel disposed to alter the principle of the arms employed. It M r as then that in disgust he brought his invention to Paris, and by even a more bitter mockery of fate than in London he obtained an interview Avith the'Emperor,Avho listened with the greatest interest to the description of the gun, examined the plans and sections brought by the officer, much questioned the superiority of the invention over others Avhich had been laid before him, declared it seemed to him liable to the objection of being too delicate for field use, and abruptly sounded the little gong Avhich stands upon his bureau, and slightly rising when the usher entered at the summons, dismissed- the visitor to admit - of other opportunities. It was then that, Avith the undaunted perseverance of inventors in general, he betook himself, armed with his needle gun, to Holland, whose Sovereign had always manifested great interest in the advancement of gunnery, and Avho had first become the purchaser of a steel caulker to repair instantaneously the damage caused by the enemy's shot in ships' sides, which, being the invention of a poor carpenter's journeyman, had nevertheless found its way into the Royal presence, and been accepted Avithout the smallest attempt at bargaining. But when arrived at the Hague, he found that lus resources had dwindled aAvay to such an extent that he Avas compelled to delay his presentation to the King for want of proper costume to appear in. Meanwhile,' he became accidentally acquainted Avith one of the gentlemen attached to the Prussian Legation at the Hague, and to Avhom he recounted his grievances. This time he Avas listened to with interest. The brother-in.laAv of his new friend held some appointment at the Court of Berlin. War and revolution Avere already floating through the air. He saAv at once all the advantage -which might accrue from being the first to present a ne\v and valuable instrument of destruction to Bismarck, so determined to destroy, and he lost no time in repairing Avith the Englishman to Berlin. Here the Avay Avas open— the hour had come, the needle gun was tried, examined, and accepted in the shortest possible space of time, the inventor handsomely reAvarded, and encouraged to establish himself in Prussia. We have seen the result in this terrible encounter Avith the Austriaus. The odds in favor of the needle gun are easy enough to calculate. The Prussians can fire three rounds a minute ; if four minutes' march be the usual time allotted for. a bayonet charge, the Austrian foofsoldier must have stood four-and-twenty shots before he* could have a chance of meeting the enemy hand to hand ; and, should he give way to take his full spring forward, he must of necessity have been struck down. With such certainty of destruction as that provided by the needle gun, all question of right and justice becomes necessary.