A TERRIBLE WEAPON OF WAR

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 393, 3 November 1868, Page 3

A TERRIBLE WEAPON OF WAR

Dr Gale, the celebrated blind invert-, tor, who not long ago discovered a simple method of rendering ordinary gunpowder inexplosive, has invented an ammunition gun of the most destructive character. —" The principle of working the invention is very simple. The weapon forms a kind of skeleton firearm. The stock, barrel, and hammer, are in their accustomed places, but where the common revolver has its circular breach for the reception of cartridges, Dr Gale's gun or pistol contains a blank square-shaped space for the reception of a horizontal metal slide of very simple yet ingenious construction, enclosing the cartridge. As the cartridges are fired one by one, the slide by a self-acting mechanical action passes on through the hollow space in the stock, until the last cartridge having been used, a fresh slide, filled with cartridges can be instantaneously employed. In this way one hundred and forty shots per minute have been actually fired by Dr Gale in presence of the Duke of Camhridgc. Each slide icontains ten or more cartridges, and is

entirely distinct from the firearm. The process ot reloading the slides is extremely simple and safe, a child being enabled to perform the task with ease, and to keep the firer fully supplied with ammunition. Of the value and efficiency of the invention there has been expressed but one opinion. The Mining Journal declares it calculated not merely to increase the fame of Dr Gale, but "to prove of enormous advantage in the science of warfare," a sentiment echoed by nearly every practical scientific writer. The Morning Herald, assuming that the weapon would discharge sixty shots per minute, says that, armed with weapons on the Gale principle, 'a single regiment of infantry would literally and absolutely pour forth a veritable storm of bullets ; for, assuming such a regiment to be eight hundred strong, it could certainly throw forty-eight thousand bullets in the face of its enemy in a single minute of time ; and as few men would relish facing a body of weapons which gave him sixty shots a minute as his own particular chance of death, with a reasonable probability of an extra and large per centage of chances against him as his comrades fell, we only hope that this invention may be an additional link in that chain f destructive powers which may in the end make war too dreadful a game for nations to play at.' Taking however, one hundred and twenty shots per minute each man, the discharge of the eight hundred soldiers would be 96,600 per minute, or 5,760,000 per hour ! Could anything more destructive, more terrific, be imagined than this apparent hell-storm of death? A regiment thus armed would almost be enabled to annihilate an entire army of opponents." — John Plummets Story of a Blind Inventor.