The Gatling Battery Gun.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3235, 2 July 1879, Page 1

The Gatling Battery Gun.

The machine gun, or "battery,'' invented by Mr Gatling, an American, is. said by English artillerists to be free from many defects of the French mitrailleuse. In 1870 a committee of English military men was appointed to examine the powers of several form sof mitrailleur with a view to reporting upon the advisability ojr otherwise of introducing this arm into the British service. They recommend for > certain lpurposes the Gatling battery* Gbh. ■ ■■■ ■ ■■ ■-" :; ;' -'■ ■' .-'■■ •'•■r-i «'•'*

In the Gatling the barrels, ten in muJi>,' are distinct and seperate, being; screwed 0 jintoasolid revolving ,piece, towards t^e (breech end, and passing near their muzzle through a plate, by which they are kept parnlled to each other. The whole revolves with a shaft, turning in bearings .placed front and rear in an oblong fixed frame. The weapon is made of 3 sizes, the largest one firing bullets 1 in. in diameter, weighing f lb., the smallest discharging bullets of "45 in'diameter.'''The 4 small Gatling is said to be effective at a range of more than a-mile and a quarter^ and can discharge 400 bullets or more in" one minute.

The committee of; military officers' before referred to caused many experiments to be performed, with a view of testing the power of the new weapon. After; a careful comparison of the effects* of field artillery firing shrapnel, the committee-concluded that the Gatlingwould be more destructive in the open at (distances up to 1,200 yards, bjit that it is not comparable to artillery in effect at greater distances, or where the ground is covered by trees, brushwood, earth-; works, &c. The mitrailleur, however, would,soon be knocked over by artillery if exposed, and therefore will probably only be employed in situations under shelter from such fire.

Mr Gatling contends shot for shot, his machine is more accurate than infantry, and certainly the absenco of nervousness will insure steadiness, while so few men (four) are necessary to work the gun that the exposure of life is less. No re-sighting and re-laying are necessary, between each discharge. When the gu»^ is once sighted its carriage does mfl move, except at the will of the operator and the gun can be moved laterally whfl firing is going on, so as to sweep J^B section of a circle of 12deg. or j^^M without moving the trail or changi^^^H wheels of the carriage.. The BJ^^^^| battle, therefore, does not intej^^^^H its precision. ___^^^^^^H