THE NEW VOLCANIC OR SELFLOADING RIFLE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 505, 5 September 1857, Page 3

THE NEW VOLCANIC OR SELFLOADING RIFLE.

(From the European Times.) The improvements in firearms have been for some years steadily progressing, the great desire on the part of the inventors and manufacturers being to facilitate loading and discharging, the antiquated use of the ramrod in the present day being undesirable and wholly unnecessary. The breech loading rifle, even now, is regarded as the best weapon for the acceleration of repeated discharges; but in the principle of the newly invented Volcanic rifle and pistol, the former bears as much comparison to the latter as the old flint-lock muskets do to the Minie. It is notorious that in the wars under Nelson, Hawe, Sir John Jervis, and other great commanders, the sailors generally fired their horse-pistols at the enemy and. having no time in action to reload, they .threw them at the heads of the foe. Indeed, they exulted in the possession of the biggest and heaviest of this class of weapons for the very purpose named ; but as science has advanced, and human ingenuity been more developed, we have arrived at a state worthy of prevailing genius. The object of the present notice is an invention, the excellence of which over all others will be readily admitted by those who take an interest in such matters, and by the scientific it will be acknowledged as the most superior introduced. ,In order that this country might be made aware of the existence of the new rifles, carbines, and pistols, the Volcanic Fire-Arms Company despatched Mr. J. W. Post to England with specimens of the weapons, and his arrival by the Baltic from New York, on the 30th ultimo, was looked upon with great interest by many gentlemen interested in the subject. The arms are very simple in construction, and compact and elegant in their proportions; are of great strength and durability, End not liable to get out of order. The barrels are rifled with great exactness, and they can be loaded with from seven to twenty-four balls in four to ten seconds, and can be discharged in any weather twentyfive times in fifty secouds. Neither percussion cap nor wadding is required, and there is no later discharge. The ball is a patent loaded ball,conical in form and similar to the Minie, contains all the ammunition, and is perfectly waterproof, besides being sure and safe. The balls are placed in a channel under the barrel, and are constantly pressed to the breech, when, by the simple action of a lever, they are thrown into the barrel separately, it being impossible to throw more up'at a time. Should anything occur to prevent the discharge of any particular ball, it is instantly dislodged, and another as quickly occupies its place. The manner of loading too, is so adjusted that i there is never any possible escape of' windage,'while the simplicity of the construction of the arm secures perfection and no liability to any derangement. A pistol of this description can be - fired 500 times without any necessity existing to have it sponged or in any way cleansed. Another and important matter is, that should the pistol be lying about loaded for twelve months, it can be discharged with the same regularity as if it had then been charged, and in wet and stormy weather the same results are obtained. A ball is carried a long distance with surpassing accuracy, the principal advantage being a good aim. Shortly after Mr. Post's arrival we witnessed some experiments with one of the pistols, and most astonished we were to see thirty shots loaded and fired in less than a minute ! Seven balls were placed in the reception chamber—each leaden ball constituted powder, wadding and detonating cap—and they were discharged with such rapidity, and ; again reloaded, that we imagined the war in j the Crimea would have been brought to a far more speedy termination by *,he use of thsse amis than it was by the old ones. The combined advantages and manifest superiority of the Volcanic rifle and pistol are of a character demanding the earnest attention

of the Government, and we feel convinced that were the War Office and Admiralty moved to an inspection of the articles, and to witness a series of experiments with them, they would not hesitate to look upon the invention as one fraught with the greatest utility and exhibiting the highest skill, and both to an extent that would induce them to regard-their adoption in the service as a national boon for which the country would be grateful. Mr. Post is now in London for the purpose of submitting the weapons to the inspection of the discriminating public, who will soon recognize their value.