THE MAXIM GUN. A REVOLUTION IN MILITARY ARMS. PUBLIC TRIAL AT NORTH SHORE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 387, 24 July 1889, Page 4

THE MAXIM GUN. A REVOLUTION IN MILITARY ARMS. PUBLIC TRIAL AT NORTH SHORE.

Yesterday Major- General T. B, Strange, who is at present in New Zealand in connection with the celebrated Maxim system of automatic machines quick-firing guns> conducted a public trial of the new gun on Cheltenham Beach, North Shore. The time appointed for the exposition of the firing apparatus and tho practical firing test was 3 o'clock in the attornoon, and by then a large crowd, numbering some two hundred poisons, most of whom had como across from Auckland, woic assembled around the comparatively insignifi-cant-looking little weapon on a giassy mound near the foot of Fort Cautley on the edge of tho beach. Amongst those attracted by the news ot the proposed trial of the marvellous powers of tho gnn wore the principal officers in the local volunteer companies and the Permanont Artillery, and many othors interosted in volunteor and defence movements, including Lieu ton-ant-Colonel Hume (inspector of New Zealand Defence forces). Lieutenant-Colonel Shopheid (O(Rcer-in-Charge of Auckland Volunteer JJistnot), Lieutenant - Colonel Payne, and others. The Goneral gave a detailed description of the mechanism of tho weapon to the officers prosent, explaining the various advantages io possesses over other automatic guns in the service, and a space was then cleared around the Maxim so a.s to allow of firing practice. The target was at a distance of 800 yards, consisting of a barrel fixed on a floating stage, and surmounted by a red Hag, anchored out in Rangitolo Channel. The sea was calm, thufe enabling tho result of the firing to be easily seen, except by those stationed immediately round the gun, whoso range of vision was for a few moments after tho discharge obscured by the gunpowder smoke. Throughout the trial the shooting was remarkably — almost marvellously accurate, and gave rise to expressions of high praise amongst military and volunteer officers present. Tho first rounds were fired by Captain Morri&on, officer in charge of the Auckland Permanont Artillery, Major-CeneralStrango superintending the firing operations thioughout, and offering all possible suggestions and explanations. Thegunner discharges the piece while seated on a "saddle" on tho gunlimber, and tho process of firing is extremely simple though- ingenious. The first shots fired wore in a volley of 24 bullets fired at tho rate of 600 per minute. The result was surprisingly accurate, the barrel being perforated by some of fche balls (of a size somewhat smaller than the Snider rille bullets now in use), the rest raising a high splash in the sea around. Captain Morrison, after firing a few more rounds, then gave an exhibition of sweeping fire, under the direction of the General. The maxim was manipulated with a " free hand," so as to sweep the channel over a radius of many hundred yards on each side of the target, the showers of bullets splashing into the water at varying intervals of oeveral yards, thus showing the very great uso the weapon would be to a defending force, repelling the landing ot hostile detachments in boats, or in opposing small detached bodies on land. Lieutenant-Colonel Shepherd, Colonel Payne, Captain Leßoy, LieutenantHaultain and other officers took their turn in working the gun in target and sweeping fire, and besides a number of civilian "gunners," two ladies from those assembled round, Mrs J. A. Toleand another were persuaded to pull the trigger in an attempt to perforate the floating targeh, probably their first effort in the sanguinary art of warfare. This was by way of demonstrating to all that, as the Gencial put it, " there was no secret in it," and that after a very little practice a gunner can become sufficiently expert to deal out death to any object whatever, approaching within the range of many hundreds of yards. Tho General gave a detailed practical exposition of filing with a free hand at several objects approaching at various distances to the right and lqffe of the target, and explained the simple mechanism which enabled this to be done. Regarding tho use of the Maxim as a bow-chaser in naval launches he disproved tho objee tion taken by the Wellington Na\als to the gun on the ground that a sudden wash of the sea would stop the gun. Taking a couple of buckets of water he deluged the gun and cartridge-box, showing that rain or sea would not impede the working of the weapon, as the rest of the cartridges were taken out of the ilooded box and fired without tho lea^t delay. The gun would not be damaged by water while in action. During the trial practice the Maxim discharged several hundred rounds of shot, and throughout tho excellent shooting made evidenced the wonderfully destructive power ot the gun whether againpt a land or &ea force. A characteristic of the Maxim generally remarked upon was the peculiar whistling noise produced by the flight of the shower of bullets through tho air. Before the assemblage separated MaiorGeneralStrangegaveadditionalcxplanations of the nature of tbe mechanism oi this latest invention in quick-firing machino field and fort gune. The chief advantage the Maxim possesses over other machine guns is that it is automatic, at least after the first shot is fired, for the recoil from the first shot is ingeniously utilised so as to throw the empty cartiidge case out of the chamber on to the ground, bring another cartridge down from tho moving cartridgebelt, cock the piece and fire it. Thus all the gunner has to do is _to place the cartridge belt in position, take his sight, and continue to press a spring, and the weapon will continue to discharge a hail of bullets at the rato of 600 per minute. The end of the feeding cartridge belt is introduced into the gun, when a steel slide, grooved out to fib the cartridge head and forming the breech block and carrier for transferring the cartridge from the belt to the chamber ot the gun, moves upwards, seizes and withdraws tho first cartridge, lowers it into a position, co-axial with the barrel, and then moves forward, thrusting the cartridge into the chamber. On firing it nob only extracts the empty case, but also another cartridge from the belt, and the next movement is the same, the mechanism of the gun never releasing a cartridge until it has been drawn, placed in the barrel, fired, and the empty case extracted and expelled with considerable force. The Maxim gun is guarded against the danger of the barrel becoming heated in i continuous firing by having the steel barrel encased in copper, containing a water jacket. The water has not only to be heated but also to be evaporated, and water is five times more efficient than iion in the absorption of heat. The gun itself weighs only 501b, and the carriage, shield and ammunition necessary 4001b in all, thus enabling the whole apparatus to be oasily removed from place to place by two men. The advent of the automatic system ensures cortainty ot action, and at the same time so simplifies and reduces the size and weight of the &un that it can be used in any position

without any very heavy carriage or mounting. A machine gun certainly does not present any, new elements of danger, and an infantry soldier cannot carry a shield with him, while it is possible for each machine gun to carry one of sufficient strength to resist infantry fire, and, if there be a sufficient number of them, to rapidly construct a comploce breastwork of steei, presenting only their shields to the enemy, behind which the detachment would be safe from infantry fire. The weapon is sighted up to 2,000 yards and at halt that distance can throw bullets in a line at shcrt intervals for half-a-mile ; thus iis effect upon an advancing flotilla of boats or of bodies of infantry or cavalry can bo easily imagined. Ib may be fired from a cart or a trap with safety and convenience, and at the late Easter manrjcuvres in England, was largely tested in firing and tran&it exercise on tiicycles. Extensive tiials of the Maxim ha\ebeen made in vaiious European countries, and as a result the gun lias been adopted by the Governments of England, France, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, China and Japan, In France the gun has recently been adopted to the Lobel cartridge, 'Ahich contains a smokeless and nearly noiseless explosive. The weapon is capable of adoption in almost all military tactical movements, in cavalry as galloper guns, in cyclist corps, infantry outposts, battalions, infantry attacks, in field and entrenchment, in boats landing, in ships against torpedo-boats, etc., in mounted infantry camel corps, and as mountain mule gun.s In one of tho latest of England's little wars the Maxim gun, which had not betoie been adopted by the War Department, proved of invaluable service. Sir Francis De Win ton "and Governor Hay's, expeclitionaiy force directed in','November of last year against the predatory Yonnie trzbe, from Sierra Leone, on the West Coast of Africa, took with them a Maxim, where a seven-pounder gun proved of little use in shelling a mountain fort, but the machine gun, when worked, poured a tremendous volley into the neare&t tower. The bullets rained in through the portholes and in between the planks, killing numbers of the enemy. The ramparts from other towers weie treated in like manner, and in a few moments it was seen that tho garrison were issuing from the fort and flying for their lives, such was the damage and consternation caused by the rapid and accurate shooting of the gun. With the automatic firing system the gun has no tendency of its own to move from position while liring. Therefore, training gear is not required, and the gun may be turned freely in any direction while firing, in fact, it would bo quite pos&ible to inscribe one's name in mi&siles on a target, the gunner having it in his power to direct a stream of bullets with the same facility that a stream of water may be directed from a common garden hose, with the advantage that he can check or repeat the stream of tire instantaneously at will. The Maxim gun appears admirably adapted specially for coastal defence against an invading force attempting to land from warships in boats, and two or thiee of these weapons patrolling the Auckland coast line would seem to be invaluable in repelling a landing hostile party. Major-General Strange is at present in the colony as agent of the gun, endeavouring to get the Government to give orders for a number for the protection of the various ports, but it is as yet unknown what course they intend to pursue with regard to the new weapons. The cost of a Maxim gun, with mountings and httings all complete, would bo something under £400.