THE NEW GATLING GUN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 138, 10 June 1880, Page 4

THE NEW GATLING GUN.

The latest improved Gatling gun was exhibited by Dr. R. J. Galling to a number of experts on Saturday, the 27th Marcb, at the offices of Sir Wm. Armstrong and Co., Great George-st., Westminster. This formidable instrument, which has a compact and even elegant appearance, is capable of firing a tbousaud shots per minute, and of inflicting deatb at the distance of a mile. It has ten revolving barrels, each of which has its corresponding lock, In addition to the revolving motion, the locks have a backward and forward action of their own. The forward motion places the cartridge in the cham-

ber of (he barrele, and closes the breech at the lime of each discharge, while the backward action flings out the empty cartridge cases after (he bullet has sped from them. The barrels are turned with any velocity required by b crank, which * formerly at the Bide, is now ploced Bfc the rear of the instrument, a more convenient position. A tall, slim, case, containing forty metal cartridges, one above the other, is fixed in a vertical position over the barrels, in which as they revolve, the cartridges fall with precision and rapidity, At each turn of the crank ten bullets ore ehot out, and the crank con be turned in little more than half a second. The feed case, when exhausted, can be replaced by another, while the barrels are revolving with the rapidity of the wheels of en express train. A sliding arrangement at the back of this deadly mitrailleuse affects the diaperaion of the shot, which is not simultaneous, but continuous, ball following ball in rapid and unbroken succession. Thus two men, wielding this firearm, can do the werk of two or three hundred riflemen, especially on a compact mass of the enemy. An injury to one of the locks does not disable the gun ; the lock can be easily removed ; and the only difference is that there are nine barrels instead of ten — that there will be nine hundred instead of a thousand thot3 a minute. The gun oan be mounted in almost any manner — on wheels, on a naval carriage, or fastened en the gunwale of a Bhip. It is portable, can be taken lo pieces and carried about. It can be made in various sizes, fiom a weight of 97lbs to 600.b8., and the ehot ranges from a musket ball to a half-pounder. TLe we&pou is better adapted for defensive purposes than for ofLjnuve. Lovers of peace a? ay view the implement without unmixed dissatiafeotion, seeing that military machinery, like commercial machinery, ia designed to economise human labor ; and in war, labor means life.