The Nordenfelt Machine Guns (Palmcrantz's System)

Royal United Services Institution. Journal

ISSN: 0035-9289 (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rusi19

T. Nordenfelt Esq.

To cite this article: T. Nordenfelt Esq. (1881) The Nordenfelt Machine Guns (Palmcrantz's System), Royal United Services Institution. Journal, 24:108, 785-800, DOI: 10.1080/03071848109418526

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03071848109418526

Published online: 11 Sep 2009.

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Download by: [University of Arizona] Date: 06 June 2016, At: 09:07 VOL. XXIV. 1S81. No. CVIII.

3londay Evening, June 28, 1880. ADMI~ALSIR FREDERICK w. E. NIcoLsoIf, Bart., C.B., Chairman of the Council, in the Chair.

THE NORDENFELT MACHINE GUNS (PALMCRANTZ'S SYSTEU). By T. NORDENFELT,Esq. TIXEdoes not allow me to enter into the history and development of the Nordenfelt machine guns, which on the Continent ar6 called the " Nordenfelt-Palmcrantz" guns, the name of my clever friend Palmcnntz, who originally invented the mechanism, and wbo still works with me at Stockholm in our common iuterest and object in developing and perfecting these machine ens, being added. I may be allowed to state at once that I differ from those gentlemen who consider machine guns as compcting with artille~y. I hold them to bo special weapons, invaluable for special purposes, mostly creatcd by the great advance during late years in all- other branches of the science of war. Tho appearance of the first ironclad on the American waters mas the &pal for wooden navies to depirt. The "wooden walls of old " England " were no longer to be trusted ; they had indeed become relics of the past, with a most glorious history but without R future. The monstrons ironolnd with her heavy ordnance would receive a full broadside from a three-ducker with as little effect as a hailstorm

Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 would produce on the back of a tortoise, while she could cnt the wooden ship into pieces with her ram. The ironclad seemed to rcign supreme, constantly increasing in size, armour, and ordnance, until doubt ma7';hrolm upon the wisdom of having too large T-essels by the appearance of a tiny foe, generated by science--a,.wry scorpion of the dcep-one touch of whose fiery tongue could send the noblest ironclad to the bottom of the sea. The torpedo-boat had, therefore, to be met by special weapons, and machine gnns came to the front ready to deal with it so effectually that a daylight attack now becomes almost an impossibility, and it VOL. XXIV. 3rr 78G TEE XORDENFELT bldCIIIXE GUSS requires a stout heart to volunteer to attack in a torpedo-boat even at night. Brachine guns must aIso be acknodedgcd sooner or later ,W invaluable against the modern swift unarmoured ships which, Kith their speed of 15 to 18 knots, give but little chance to the present recoil guns. In the ArmF also there has been an almost complete rerolution in the vexpons of zrarfare. The weapons used by Wellington arc obsolete. Rifled cannons have increased the precision and effect of projectiles to an extent prcriously unknown, and at the same time they have enabled artillerists to fire at enormous ranges. The rifle has given the same :Idvantnges to the infantry; andsstill the repeating, or magazine rifle is pressing on the ordinary breech- loader. It has, howerer, yet to be proved that for general service with deliberate aim, when the target is an enemy for each shot, the ordinary breech-loader is not, ou the ivhole, more satisfactory; whilc den firing apinst columns or moring bodies of infantry or ca-ialry, or against eartlirrorks or parks of artillery, the light, small- bore, machine gun must be by far the most effective. I look upon machine guns as meelianical contrivances for economiz- ing human labour and human life in war. They are to the art of mar what Arkwright’s spinning jenny mas to weaving. He enabled a fen- people to produce as much yarn in an hour as scores employing the “ turn’’ with its single spindle could make in a day-and even the turn was a great advance upon the distaff. The machine guns have, for special purposes, the same superiority over the breech-loader, the old Enfield rifle, and “ Brown Dcss.” The men at Crecy and Agincourt fought with the long born, which coulrl strike n target at six score’yards ; but these heroes n-odd, eren with the Black Prince to command them, liave been practically tlefenceless against the “ Brown Bess” in the hands of the poorest of disciplined troops. The man who invented the sling that mould “ throw a stone to a ‘‘ hand’s-breadth,” put a rreapon into the Ilmids of the lad David which made him a match for the giant-teirible fellow though he was. All experience, especially of the last 20 years’ wars, tends to prore that the best weapon does as much or morc to secure victory as the best man ; and that the best armed man is often master of the situa- tion under wry adverse circumstances, and is always the conqueror if Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 his discipline is as good as that of his enemy. The supposed ditticulty of supplying ammimition for a machine gun in the field is not great-allways granting that the gnn uses the same ammunition as the rifle; because for most purposes for which a machine gun n-odd be used, it \vould fire at spurts of only a fen- seconds at a time with so much more effect, both actual and moral, under these special circumstances than ordinary rifle firing, that the total ammunition fired from the machine gun would probably not exceed what would have to be fired by the corresponding number of rifles before the same object were gained. The Turks, moreover, during the late war gme a severe lesson (P.ILXCRASTZ'S SYSTEM). 'is i I to those who xonld retard the development of arms for fear of tlrc difficulty of supplying ammunition, by proving that eren with their inferior organization and miserable transport, the supply of aminu- nition can always be relied upon, as soon as the paramount importance of this supply is fully understood. The question of expense for a country like England% also relative, for if machine guns can shorten a wzr by a week, or can prevent the blockade of a single colonial port, the possible expense for extra supply of ammunition must be ropsid tenfold.

General Description of 3Incliine Giiiis. In order to give a clear description of the guns generally, 1 muat. divide machine guns as seen from two different points of view :- Firsf.-(a.) hlachine guns with revolving barrels which cannot fir- volleys. (b.) Guns with fised barrels, and which can fire either vnlle~-s or single shots as desired. Secoad.-(I.) Machine guns firing the same projectiles as the rifl2s of each counti7. (11.) Jlachine guns firiug projectiles of larger calibrc than rifle calibre, principally for the purpose of penetrating sliipi' platcs, boilers, &c. Sly machine guns hare fixed barrels, and can almap fire volleps, unless any Porrer prefers to submit to single firing for the purpose of gaining lightness and simplicitf. They are also equally well adapted for small and foi- large calibres. The Gatling gun is the original type of the opposite s-j-stein with revolving barrels, mhicli cannot fire volleys, and I hope that Dr. Gatling will excuse my sa-j-ing that his revolving gun, witit movable breech supports, is tied down to the first part of my second hisof division, viz., that his gun can only fire rib ammunition with advantage. The Hotehkiss gun' is a development of the Gatling iden with revolving barrels, and cannot fire vollejs, but with his solid breech support he has gained the point of being able to fire projectiles of large calibre; while, on the other hand, he lias lost rapidity of fire, so that his system is impossible for rifle ammunition. Jlr. Hotchkisi, tlierefore, nntuixlly condemns all machine guns which fire rifle ammil- nition, and brings his large esperience to bear upon competition with artillery in tiring shells. The Gardener gun lies between the t;Fo in the first division. It

Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 fires with fixed barrels or rather barrel, but it cannot fii.e volleys ; and I believe that it only fires rise ammunition. I would, hoivcvcr, linrdly class the Gardener gun Kith maehinc guns, because tlie single-barrelled gun which Ah. Gardener himself especially recommends is rather :L clever repenting rifle, while it at tlie same

only to travel their own length into the ahambers and out again, and the cmpty cases drop, from their ow1 ~3gIit,out of the cartridge receiver, SO that with the compai.ntir-ely slom movement of the meeha- nism no jambs,or liitches are likely to be caused by the mechanism. In case any hitch should be caused by an imperfect cartridge, I hare only to raise the corer by pressing the spring-lock with one finger, when the mechanism is laid bare so that I ran touch at once crerj- firing ncedle and extractor, and so that I can remove the cartridge or clean the chambers, wliieh are then so,opcn and accessible, that I can put my finger right into all the barrels from the brccch cnd as ire11 as from the muzzle end, and can clean them from either end. The cntire mechauism can be taken out of tlie gun without a single too1,in a few seconds, and the spiral springs can be taken out in a mument, and replaced without any tools and without even raising the cover or opening up of the mechanism. As a separate cocking piece has lately been added to the gun, the hammers hare now nothing more to do than to strike the firing needles, and the liamniers and spiral springs are now so amply strong for tlie work they have to do, that no breakage of any kind has. occurred even at the exces- sively rapid firing during the last fern months at Portsmoutli and at Shoeburyness. If a faulty cartridge cace should fail to be extracted and remain in the chamber, the remaining barrels cau still be fired without any stop- pige, by a sliglit double motion of tlie handle, which throws out the cartridge which corresponds to the barrel which is disabled, and if one or more barrels are damaged in transport or by the enemy’s fire, the remaining barrels can still be fired, becanse I can control thc compart- ment in the hopper belonging to each barrel, so that I only have to fill the compartments corresponding to. the barrels which remain in good condition. As the breech plugs close up from the rear, in line with the chambers, this gun is much less affected by possible dirt or fouling than guns where the breech closes from the side. The mechanism itself is well covered, but the cartridge ’carrier is open both above and below, so that no dirt can collect in it to prevent the easy run of the cartridges, and I hold this to be one of the princi- pal advantages, that it is unlike the revolving guns, where the chamber-ends of the barrels and the entire breech are covered up and

Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 not easily nsccssible. I wish especially to point out that the fact of our system having fixed barrels is very adrantagcous, not only because it saves thc work of revolving the barrels, but also bcmuse, when we come to larger calibres, we can use heavier charges of powder per calibrc, without unduly increasing the \wight of the gun ; whereas in a revolving gun, with barrels of large calibre, and with heavy charges of powder which necessitate considerable tliickness of steel in the barrel, the pressure of the espIosion of the cartridges acts so far from the centre of the revolviug motion, that all these parts must be made cspcciallg strong and heavy in order to prevent their being bent or upset, which woulcl 790 TIIE XORDESFELT JIACIIISE GUSS hinder the smooth action of the two reyolring surfaces, -&., the chamber base and the face of the breech. Dr. Gatling has seen the importance of this, and has provided a rr6ulator for adjusting the distance betmcen chamher and breech ; but this regulator is, on the otlicr hand, rather a source of trouble, and it requires great judgment on the part of the gunner; and if used in- correctly, might throw the gun out at an important moment. Cali%res. We make machine gnns of the follorring calibres :- (a.) R@e calibre, varying from 0.33 to 0.56 inch, andwe have made such machine gnns for the Martini-Henry, Snider, Peabody, Gras, llauser, Berdan, Wetterli, Remington, and Comblain cartridges, rary- ing. from 5 to 10 barrels in each gun ; the weight of these gnns varying from 100 lbs. to 260 lbs., depending principally upon the number. length, and weight of barrels 6th corresponding varying strength of frame and mechanism. (b.) 1-iizch calibre, specially for naval use for defence against torpedo- boats. We make these with four barrels, like the English naval 1-inch gun, weighing 4 cwts., or with two barrels, weighing about 24 cwts., the latter more especially for use in the tops and in boats, for which purpose the mounting is so arranged that the gun can be easily and quickly mored from one place to another. (c.) l+-ii~chcdibre for general nard use for firing 14-lb. shells agrninst unarmoured vesseIs, and for field service and fortifications. We make these with one barrel when the gun weighs 2 cwts., am1 with two barrels when the gun weiglis about + cwts. We hare also in work a l&inch and a 3-inch gun for firing respec- tkely 34 and 12 lbs. projectiles, but thcsc are not yet so far advanccd that I can gire any definite details. For Field Use there are two entirely separate kinds of machine guns: the one is a sliell-firing gun, which would compefe vifh field artillery, ~~Iiicli Jlr. Hotehkiss has worked out with a certain amount of success. As to this I can today only say +at I hope shortly to be in a position to shorn that the effect produced by the Hotehkiss gun can be produced by a smaller number of fixed barrcls and lighter weight of gun, when the Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 advantage might perhaps be he12 out to the artillery that the same wight of metal in the shape of smnll shells, spread more evenly over a surface, may be thrown per minute by a gun of smaller calibre and light weight than what is now done by the present light field gun; on this point, homerer, I do not speak at the present moment with much confidence. The other kind o€ machine gun is the much-abused small-bore bat- tery gun or mitrailleuse, as representatives of which I take my ten-bsrrellcd gun, which weighs 24 emts., and fires 110 Martini-Henry bullets in five seconds, and my five-barrelled gun, which weighs from lJ0 lbs. to 135 Ibs , and fires 70 shots in five seconds. (PALXCRAXTZ'S STSTEJI). 791 The ten-barrelled gun is of course the most effectire, but it requires two horses for gun aiid limber. The heavy machine gun got into sad dispcc during the Fnnco- Prussian War, when the old Nontigny mas outla\rcd-but then it must be remembered that the mitrailleuse of that day fircd slowly, and not continuously; that it weighed three times as much as mine, and that it consequently required six horses. It could not be moved quickly, and its tactics consequently exposed it to be destroyed by the enemy's field guns. It also had the fatal fault that it required a special cartridge, so that often when the mitraillcusc was relied upon by a General it was lvorse than useless if the wrong ammunition liad been brought, up ; besides which, a second kind of small arms ammunition 'iu tlic field also created confusion in the supply of cartridges to the infantrj-. This is one reason why I think it hopeless at present to introduce R machine gun JTliich fires small shells in competition with the present field guns, because this would introduce x new kind of ammunition, wliereas mx ten-barrelled gun would fire tlic rifle ammunition whiclt already is in the field, and would prove invaluahlc in the hands of tacticians and strategists, who understood horn to make nse of x weapon which, from one point and under cover, fires an eseecdingly rapid succession of volleys, each volley of ten shots being spread over ;I surface which I can adjust by the automatic spreading motion as desired. Within a range of 1,500 prds a gun could hardly be brought np to destroy the mitrailleuse in face of the heavy rain of bullets. The question of the use of these ten-barrelled guns in the field mill probably require further study and consideration, but there can be no doubt thht for the defence of' bridges, roads, and temporary intrcuch- ments, they xust be most uscful. An entirely new phase in the use of mitrailleuses has, however, been opened up by the small five-barrelled gun which weighs less than onc- third of the service Gatling gu,while it fires much more rapidly, say about 500 rounds per minutc, or, for spurts of lo@shots at the time, at the rate of nearly 800 shots per miuute. This gun with its limber on wheels can be drawn by one mule or by three men; it can be caxied on one horse, with the trail on a second horse, or the gun and pirot can be carried all on one horse; when required, the gun and pivot can be carried on the shoulders of three Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 men, who also carry the ammunition in special knapsacks. This gun has nothing to do with artillery at all; it is simply a combination of five repeating rifles, with magazines, fircd by one man : it gives a General the best chance of a monnted infantry which can be sent forward quickly in advance to occupy points of vaufage, or which in retreat can hold on to important points to give the infantry time to rctirc, step by step; for attack as me11 as def'euee of baggage trains and convoys of ammunition it would also be useful. A troop of cavalry with a mounted machine gun could do much in harassing and in surprising an enemy on the march, and a clever Officer with a couple of machine guns ou horse-back could generally 792 THE NOllDESFELT XACIIIXE GUSS

ci.eep up near enough to an enemy to have a few seconds’ destructive fire at the carnlry or artillery of the enemy. These guns would also be useful for dropping fire against trenches, and for dcfeiicc of. intrencliments or of an open camp : they could be kept close :it hand, and be brought into play nt the all-important moment when tlie enemy stopms the position. A glacis defended by niitraillcuscs could hardly be stormed at all, and n breach could not, be passed against mitraillenses under corer with cross-fire into the breach. I cannot but think thnt it would be special17 useful in colonial wars against hordes of undisciplined natives, for hill ~vork,and for defence of dcpBts, camps, and laagers. I have mentioned a fen- of the many special occasions when I think thnt a mitrailleuse firing the same ammunition as the rifle mould be useful, independently of artillery, and I leave it to Officers who have commanded in the field to consider horn far it would be advisable to provide such meapms for these special occasions; as no special ammunition is required for them, it mould not be very difficult to let a certain number €0110~~-each brigade,

Fwr ATacnl Use. I begin wit11 tlie smnll-bore machine gun, and here again there is use for both n ten-barrelled and a five-barrelled gun. As these guns use the same anmiunition, and as the sxstem is the same, it is no disadvantage to have both pins in the Service, becausc cvery sailor who can fire the one can also fire the other. ‘ On large vessels two ten-barrelled guns in fixed position on deck would be most effective for sweeping the decks of an enemy’s vcssel. Its volleys of tcn shots each with tlie slight vibration of the gun wonld have sufficient spreading without any scattering motion ; the angle of descent at. long ranges, and n few mpid volleys at shortcr mnges mhen the enemy’s ship heels over, would be most effective, and n steady succession of ~olleysof ten shots at his gun ports mould dis- turb tho service of his guns. All the faster uoarmoured vessels *and all gunboats, where there would be no question of moving the guns from one place to another during action, could also have one of the ten-barrelled guns, as well ns their complement of larger calihre machine guns. The five-barrelled guns, again, would be fitted to the tops of all

Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 larger rcssels and in steam launches, and generally where they are required to bc mored quickly from onc point to another during action. They might also bc fitted to torpedo-boats for firing against other Iioats, against anti-torpedo guns during attack, and against the electric lights of the cnemy’s vessel the moment they are found out., and prc- rious to or during the actual attack. I have not liked to sny much about dint these guns have done, because they are still under the consideration of the Alacliine Gun Committee, whose experiments mill be continued as soon as me shall have completed new guns for the ncm’ammunition decided upon by the Committee, in lieu of the present service ammunition, for Khich latter the gnus were first made. (PALIICR AXTZ'S SYSTEM). 783 I think, hoirever, that I mar say that my guns have done at least. ns well as those of my competitors, and that I can therefore offer one :md the same satisfactory system throughout all the calibres required by the Envy. While 1 am fully aware it would be wrong to lose anj- one advantage on board for portability and conrcnience ashore for naval guns, still ~uysmall fice-b,wrelled gun is so very suitable for landing pnr- poses that this &odd not be lost sight of. Three sailors cin pnll the gun and limber; four sailors can carrj- thc gun and trail in case the wheels have to bc left behind j and the ammunition is kept in knapsacks in the limber, ready to be carried mhererer the limber cannot 1~ convcnientlp taken. Wit11 six or cight men this gun would be as well served as the Serrice Gatling with 18 men, and it fires more quickly, and is much more simple and not liXely to jamb.

A&-torpedo-boat Gzin. For this special purpose it is quite clear to me that the right calibrc is the smallest calibre which gircs sufficient penetration, viz., 1 inch ; liecause the smaller the calibre, the larger the number of barrels that, I can use in each gun, the greater number of shots I can fire in each volley, with correspondingly greater chance of hitting, and the more I can iucrcasc the actual rapidity of fire as the range apinst an attack- ing torpedo-boat gets shorter, and the effect of each bullet proportion- ately greater. I look upon rolley firing as an absolute necessity for naval machine pus, ns long as the consideration of weight or portability of the gun does not make it necessaij to submit to single shots. It is quite true, for instance, that the Gatling gun can give ,a steady stream of bullets with constantly increasing depression, but this line of hits becomes very unsteady when the vessel rolls or pitches, and very ineffective mlien the object fired at moves, while my own ship follows the movement of thc waves. Then it bceomes necessary to fire volleys, because I have to aini aliead of the moving Fessel to allow for the time of flight of the projectiles. I have to fire while my own ship rises just before it turns, and as I hnsc to judgc my distance and change my sight to an always varying range, it IS the volley with the slight spreading caused by the vibintion of the weapon which gives me the best chance of hitting. Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 I shall hardly be contradicted in saying that these are the most frequent conditions under which firing is done at ECL Tliis gun fires steel bullets weighing somewhat less than 4 Ib. caeh, with an initial velocity of about 1,400 feet, which gives a mnximum penetration, at 200 yards, of 2-inch steel plate at right angles, $inch steel plate at 25" angle, and +-inch steel plnte at 20" angle, while it penetrates the side of a second class torpedo-boat at 10" angle, tearing up a hole many times larger than the bullet. It goes straight through :I torpedo-boat (in and out again) at a distance of an English mile at right angles. It penetrates the side of a torpedo-boat and its boiler at 45' angle at 300 yards, and it pcnctrates the Low of a torpedo-boat, 794' THE NORDESFELT JIACITLSE GUSS fonr bulk-heads, and the boilcr at 200 yards range, while its energy, after having passed through the bow of the boat and the bulkhcads, is quite sufficient for breaking or otherwise spoiling any piston or con- necting rod, cylinder, or fire-box whish it may hit, or to pass out of the boat under the water-line on the opposite sidc if it docs not hit the machinery before. A projectile which docs not actually penetrate the boilcr, but which cuts a groove into it and glances off, is likely to came an explosion, while the projectile Khich penetrates the boiler may not cause an explosion, but as it of course lets out the hot steam at great prcssnre into the boat, it not only stops the speed by dcgrccs, but it makcs it impossible to rcmain under deck, so that the torpedo-boat becomes unmanageable. In both cases the object is thus gained of stopping the boat, as does also a bent or damaged piston or connccting rod, or a hole in the cllinder, fire-box, or slide-box. A solid bullet which retains its cncrgy, after penetrating the skin, is thus much morc effcctive for this purpose than a sliell, the small fragmcnts of which hare very little energy left unlcss the die11 is so large and breaks into so few pieces that cach fragmcnt has weight enough to do any considcnble damage. I do not think it probable that a torpedo-boat mill attack except at night or in rain or mist, and before the gun can be got ready to fire at it, the torpedo-boat will probably be within 300 yards, a distance which it takes only half a minute to run. It is thcreforc of tlie very grcatcst importance than an-anti-torpedo-boat gun should be able to fire extrcmely quickly at short range; and I do not think that the torpedo-boat can be stopped either by killing the stokcr, \rho is in front of the boiler, or by letting in water through the skin of the boat : thus I think that solid projectiles will always be used in preference against torpedo-boats with a view to smash the machinery or pierce the boiler. The British Government has signcd an international convention, the practical result of wliich is to limit shells to n minimum calibre of lli-inch, and Blr. Hotchkiss, .n-hose gun mas tried in Portsmouth, has adopted this calibre. His shells, howerer, are only about one-half of the proper weight for this calibre, and the initial velocity only about 1,300 feet. The penetrating power with over 1Ib. steel bullets is, therefore, only about the same as mine with less than 4Ib. steel bullets, while the Hotchkiss common shell has cvcn less penetration. At the

Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 final runs of the trials at sea at Spithcad last month from 500 prds np to 100 yards distance from the torpedo-boat model, my gun scored 66 hits per minute agninst Hotclikiss 1.5 hits per minute. In the half minute which me would in rcality probably have to fire, as above named, Hotchkiss's gun would have scored 7 hits, which, if solid stcd shots, may perhaps have been enough to stop tlie boat; but my corresponding 33 hits in the same half minute would have done so more safely. In several forcign rcports the percentage of hits out of shots fircd has been brought prominently forward; but I beg to warn against this as misleading, because the only important point is, 7iaw maty hits (PXLNCRAATZ’S STSTEN). 705

I can score vritli a weapon in n giwu nzmber of seconds 1 The question of liom many shots I have to fire in order to secure thcsc hits has nothing at all to do with it, because we liave so seldom n naval \Tar, and torpedo attacks take place SO seldom during a naval war that the cost of this kind of ammunition fired in action is infinitesimal com- pared to the cost of practice ammunition in time of peace. My rolley-firing guns are also useful in prereitting an enemy from serving or letting off a Whitehead torpedo within its range, because 110 such torpedo could be sent off under my repeated ro1le-p unlcss the torpedo were fired from under water.

Larger Jlacliiiie GWS for Xacal Service. While I thus hold to my 1-inch volley-firing gun as the best weapon for defence a,rrninst torpedo-boats, I am quite alive to the fact that, for general serrice on board, a shell-firing machine gun would be niost effcetive against unarmoured vessels. For this purpose the projectile should have the power of penetrating two +-inch steel plates at an acute angle, so as to be able to burst the shell inside the bnlwarks of any nnarmoured ship afloat. Our l+-inch and 1%-inchguns will therefore fire 12 Ibs. and 3; Ibs. shells respectively, which, with an initial velocity of 1,700 to 1,800 feet (proportion of charge to projectile 1: 3), will give per calibre nearly donble the penetration of the same calibre of any revolving system with which I am acquainted. In order to fire these with a rapidity of from 15 to 20 shots per minnte (when aiming), I onlyrequire one barrel, which makes my gun only half the weight of revolving guns of the same calibre ; but besides this gun, which is now ready, I also make volley-firing guns of la-inch calibre, wliich, with the same weight as the corresponding revolving gun, fires twice as rapidly. The greater weight of my shells for each giren calibre gives me, besides the greater penetration, also the advantage that the shells, after penctmtion, break up into much heavier fragments, which better retain the energy for doing damage afterwards. Conclusion. And now, what is the outcome of all this so far as the British Army and Navy arc concerned? It is bard to suppose that England mill

Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 ever be engnged in offensive operations except as a dirersion in favour of defence at some other point of her vast territory; and it is mom especially for defence that these macliine guns are most suitable- economising the lives of British soldiers and sailors, who are dear not only in a patriotic, but also in a pecuniary sense, and whose brains and energies are sufficient, if well armed, to hold their own even against the large odds of all comers. It is true that the world is to a large extent for and not agrinst England, but still there are clonds on the horizon which may call for :ictive measures of defence over lines so vast that not a ship could be spared. 79G ’ THE XORDENFELT JldCIIIhT GUSS The defence of the Envy against torpedo-boats and the armament of the cruizers, which linve to protect tlic commerce and communica- tions with the Colonies, are most important subjects, considering thc pnormous commercial intercsts at stake-interests whieli cause much of the civilization of mankind to b:: bound up in tlie preservation and progress of the British Empire. The cost of the mainten:inse of this defence and of constantly im- prored armaments, is the “i~~suraueepremium ’’ pnid by Great Britain for the security of her Empire--a. very lorn premium, considering the value of the property-and I should fed wry proud if I might flatter rnysclf that I hare contributed something which, cvcn in the smallest degree, can have a deeisirc influence upon the strength of this defence, or, in other words, on the preservation of pcacc.

Major E. ROGERS,StalfOflccr of Pensioners, F.R.G.S. : I must that 1 am nstonislicd that the question of the mitrailleuse ha3 not yct been definitely Ecttlcd. It takes my mind back to the Scar 1675, when I gnre a lecture here upon thc ~aniesubject. I thought then that EOUlC progrcss would hare been madr, but none seems to hnre bccn up to the prcscnt day. Then I go back to 1672, when we heard in this theatre IL papcr from our lste 1:imentcd friend Colonel Kletcher, upon which occasion some most eniincnt men gnre us the bcnefit of tlicir experiences. A Couirnittcc had prcriously met and had gone thoroughly into the question, and it was then decided by them that the Gatling gun was the bcst systcul that had then been brought forward by the sereml inrcntors who compctcd. Now JLr. Kordcnfclt has taken the field. I disclaim any intention to draw inridious comparisons between the Gatling gun and the Xordenfelt. This Institution is not for the purpose of cntering into any dctailed criticism of thst nature. I look upon it rather as a sort of iutermediatc tribunal where the inrentor comes and airs liis theories, and tells us what he has to say, and where pcrhaps he is to some cxtcnt criticized; but crcntually he his to be handed orcr to a Sclcct Conirnittce at Slioebury- nes, and there the question between the Gntling gnn and the Kordcnfclt gun n-ill be determined. The Gatling gun has never had a proper opportunity of bcin- tried cithcr in peace or in war. It was Eent out during the Asliautee IVar, but Oit wa3 mounted upon a narrow-guge carriage, irliicli ~’DSno doubt suitable to go through a woodland country, but it was top-bcavy, upscts were frcqucnt, and conscquentlj- the gun could not be taken to the front. It 1ra3 left by Sir Qarnet Wolseley to command the bridge-hcad at the Pmh, aud as you rimy remember it was fired into that rircr on one ocmsion for the edification and amascment of. an Ashantec warrior, wl~o,when he ~awthe cffcct of it, shook his head prcll, raiscd his hands to hearcn, iind went home and Iiangcd himsclf ! A fen- guns were also sent out to Natal. I roluntccrcd to go out mgsdf with a Gatling, but not n-ith such guns as were cni- ploycd thcrc, iTliich were of an obsolete pattern-the old pnttern introduced in 1672. The guns that I wanted to go out with were of a far supcrior make and perfcction Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 of mechanism. I had some trinlJrrith them at Chester (indeed I drilled the Volnr- tcer Artillery there to their use), and I mas prcpnrcd to cmploy thcsc guns practiallj- :igainst the enemy. The military authorities, however, did not consent to my pro- posal. At Ulundi the guns no doubt did execution. I rrgrct that thcrc do not appear to be anf Axtillcry Oacersprcsent mho could tell us vhat liappened nt Ulundi. I understud that a papcr was rcad D few days ago on this subject at the Artillcry Institution, Woolwich, but no one has come forward here to EZ~what hsppcncd in the Zulu War with regard to the action of the Gatling gun. 1 beliere the report of ouffricnd Xlqjor Onen, R.A., has never bcen published. Were he in England, no doubt me would hare learned ere thi3 the actual facts. The gun has had, I con- tend, no chance of showing its powers in war. With rcgard to peace, the trials hitherto msde, particularly at Shoebaryness, have been carried out n-ith a bad cartridge. The trkls made there the other day prorcd nothing but that the Boxer (PALJICRAXTZ’S SYSTEM). 797

~xrfridgeis ntterlc worthless as ammunition for automatic firearms. Tltc trinlj later on will, I hopc, be condactcd with a better CI~Wof ammunition. Xr. Nordenfelt hss stated that he doc3 not consider his s)rstem as competing with the artillery, because lie thinks ficld guns are now SO pcrfcct. (Jlr. KORDESFELT: I did not say that.) It wa3 prored by the Committee in 1872 that the cffcets of tho Gatling gun were equal to those of thee ficld guns firing shr~pncl; that is, the siipcri0rit.F of the Gatling in rcgarrl to the number of hits obtained vas as three to one. There can be no doubt, therefore, that Gatlin,: guns are able to compete with ficld guns as man-slaying weapons. No doubt the mitrdleur is incapzblc of doing any damage to mafkiel on shorc : it can,in a word, do nothing that the bcst rifle with t.lie best ammunition cannot do ; but within that scope it is quite equal to any shclI-firing gun,nntl it produces effrets infinitely superior to case-fire, as iws admitted by Artil- lery Officers in the discussion on the lecture giren by me. With regard to the difficulty in th? supply of ammunition, there is one suggestion I should like to take this opportunity of making. Tlicrc was a paper read not long ago by BZajor Geddes of the 53rd Re:imcnt upon “Manual Tnmsport ;” andit nppcars that the wheel proposcd (which 1 aoald sugcyst should be used as pnrt of the equipment of machine guns) is capable of enrrjing 2,000 rounds of ammunition as well as other supplies, in a country where thereis no mule or horse transport. Sir, I‘hareheard this rcinark from Colonel C. Brackenbury in this Institution, “7Ve hare the best mitnilleur extant, and the “ only nngc finder; how i3 it. that they hare not been used in the autumn manaeu- “ vre3 ?” And I would ask, why hare not Gatling or other machine grins bccn used in the autumn manaurrea ? I understand that the objection is that they do not fire blank ammunifion ; but there is no prnefieal difiiculty aboutthat. If a Gatling gun were gircn to the troop at Alderihot, I am sure the General commanding could show what would be its use and status in war, by the tactieal use of it in peace. The lecturer said something (which 4 should like to correct) abont Gatling guns not beingsrolley-firing guns. Neither is the Nordenfelt gun. Xr. Xordenfelt calls it a rolleg-firing gun, bnt;it. is simIjly a repeating gun ; and when he wants to get necnnicy he docs not fire m,quiekly. The npidity of the Gatling and tho mpidit,y of the Nordenfelt arc about equal. It is said that the Qntling system is oulg capahle .of s small-bore fire, and.is tliercfore not a fit gun for torpedo serrice. There is no qnestion, theoretically speaking (I spcak under correction), but that x gun to rcpel torpedo boats must be a hrgo wlibrc guu. It would scem from tho lecturer’s remarks that the Gatling i3 incapnble of being constrncfed as a Inrgc- bore gun ; but I’hare myself seen in tbe nard Senice several OG5 guns that could be used as torpcdo-hoat rcpellcrs if the ammunition were cliangcd. As to this point, I may mcnrion that many years ago 1 suggcstcd to Dr. Gatling that ha should employ +it11 his guns steel-pointed bullets. I had mysclf a sporting Jacob rifle with zinc-cappeci bullets, ond I remeniber smashing with one or two rounds of tltcsc pointed ‘bitllcts 3 regulalion target at 400 yards. Whcn the question of repelling torpedo-ho:its aroso during the Russian Wnr, I repcatcd that suggestion, and asked Dr. Gatling to .manufacture ammunition .to pierce torpedo-boats. Mr. Nordenfclt. ’then took it up. Bnt I reiterntc that there is no reason why the Gatling gun should not’bc ailaptcd to torpedo ser-iice. The CIIAIRWAX: If there is any one ‘here iho has .seen these guns used in nctunl service, we shd1 be gl ~d to hear any remarks from him.

Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 Commander Cnnrrs, R.N. : I ilo not 6eC any guard to the Xordenfdt gun. It seems to mc*tliatone gun might bo fighting a duel aitli another. I sliould likc to know if there i.* ally Sldld proriaed? Admiral SELWXX: I should,likc to refer to a matter which gires me the pentcst plramrc. Xenrly ten pr3ngo Mr. Dnw obtained n prize for .a thoroughly goocl mrtridgc, not quite so good for some purposes a3 the solid-drarvn cartritlgc that came a Iitfle after it,’but possessingwxygreat adrantap. 1Iad.wc ettetitlcd to our cartridges first, we shodld hare been ablc,to use machine guns with n perfect rifle, and we should hare begun at the right end instead of nt. the wrongend of the \rliole question. Unfortunatel.~,we committed a wry great error. I said so atthe time, and I ain sorry 1was not listened to. But that is not EO nccessar~.to refer to as the fact, that deb? in such a matter is at this moment extrcmely dangerous. If ire aro to be left in the position .of having a cartridgo th& we know is not a good one, 79s THE XORDENFELT JIACIIINE GmS

y,-ith which no machine gun can work successfiill~,until war breaks out, I think t,liere is every probability that we shall find othcr nations ahead of us, and ire ~liall regret too late not having done what we ought to hare done. If I had any weixht at rill rritli the spending department, I should prcss on their-considentionthe fact that it is cheaper to do the right thing at once; that delay will only land them in a greater expense at last, and that there i3 really no rclucfance on the part of the tax- payer3 to provide rlIicient weapons when they arc aslid to do 60. Of course it is not -necessary in this Institution to make comparisons betwen rival inrentors of machine guns. We hope that each inrentor i\-ilIdo his best. We are certain that he mill get perfectly fair trial3 here, and we hope he may be able to bring forward his points PO strongly 0s to convince not only the Committee, but his antagonists, Tvhich nil1 be a more difieult matter. I may be permittcd to define %hat i3 the tnie use of the different sorts of machine guns. It is quite clear that the Emal~-bOrCmitnilleusc must come into play for all military purposes. If ye. arc to hare a machine of the greatest raluc against uncorercd troops-not to compete Kith our artillery, which it nercr ando, became it cannot pierce stone walls or earthworks-against troop whcrerer they are seen en masse, or, in some cases, where thpare not seen at all, as the Turks found out, for at 3 long range by corering the ground they killed more Russians than were killed in the sssaults-if we are to hare that kind of gun, 11% must be limited by tllc cartridge that we hare for our rifle, irhaterer that may be. Ken-, I Emhere with the greatest pleasure a Martini- Henry solid-drnwn cartridge, and I am told that some such cartridge is to be adopted. I only hope that some day soon m-e may arrive at some final decision as near perfection as that ; then we shall hare a cartridge for our machine giin nnd for our rifle, and there wiIl be no mistake as to what ammunition i3 brought up. You remember what the Turks were able to do, firing in the air, with a rery slight knok- ledge of where the supports of the Russians were, when they iwre advancing ncar Plerna, lying dom, be it recollected, among the,rine trccs. The companies were reduced to mere skeletons. In too many instalices the men did not get up dien the Officer celled to them, and he found that they had btcn shot through the back. If we recollect what the Turks did on that occasion, nc may easily imagine what rollej-firing from n mitraillcuse would do, aided by a balloon to indicate the dircc- tion and the distance. Thc gun may be of \-CT Feat we in that way and in ways that are not at present thouglit of at all, but it certainlycaunot come into use ivherc shell guns ought to be brought to the front. In regard to the nard Uje of machine guns, rre hare to deal with a totally different condition of things. In the ship there is no diffieultj in carrjing any numbcr of different,sorts of nmmunition, and the will all be bronFht up to their sepante guns with the utmost certainty and rapidity. It is not like a tnnsport train, which may hare to go up through smoke, and may not get at the right place. We hare never any difficulty, when we hare fire or six guns of different calibre, in getting ammunition for each of them. It is clear that for a torpedo attack nothing short of a gun that will pierce the shell of the boat, and if possible the boiler, will be of any value whatever. The boiler qncstion is a rer~serious onc ; and if we arc to consider the torpedo-boat as she nt present exists, nith the boiler taking up the larger position of her midJiip both laterslly and IongitiidinnllF, the extreme liability of its being pierced, and the fatal rcsults of any escape of steam, ns BIr. xordenfelt has said, below dcck, and the ini- Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 possibility of any other than a fatal rcsult to the attack, 1 think we ~llallsee thtit machine guns of large calibre arc very vie11 \rorth carrjing for that purpose done. I should separate those entirely from those which are valuable for disembarkation, or for protecting the landing of boats, or resisting a mere ordinary boat nttuck.. Tiiere i3 eertaiuly n tcndencp in morlcrn dajs, both in the Army nnd the Xary, to ccononiize our mrn. I do not beliere that to nny large extent guns like these can Ire left on the dcck of an ironclad exposed to a distant fire. There would be wry little left on an ironclad, ecrtainly not the boats, or any of those bcautiful arrnnge- ments ivhich ae ECC hung outside the turrets pr6tccted by n thin irou plate, if pro- tected nt all. I do not think nnjthing could be left there; I do not see why you sllould leare them there during an attack. I think they ought to be 80 protcctcd and kept a3 that they can be put into place at the moment whcn they arc required during D narnl attack, nlwajs excepting the case of a torpedo attack at night. or (PALMCRAXTZ'S SYSTEJI). i99

during mist in the day. The one question that we want to hare solrcd immc- diatcly, and which 1 hope this mrcting will adrocate being done with all thc cucrg that can be put into it, is thc question of the cartridge, in order that both rifie3 and ~nacllineguns may bc properly constructed for 01 'proper cartridge, whatever may be thc calibre dccidcd on for cach purposc. JIajor GAMY: A question has bccn asked as to what the Gatling guns did at Ulundi. I was not there mysclf, but I had information from one Staff Officer who was prcsent, and from another who had to report on what IS= donc, and their statenicnt was that two Gatling guns were placed upon the flanks of the square nt Ulundi, and no sooncr wcrc they brought into action than they jambcd, and mrc utterly usclcss during the rest of the day. Major ROGERS:I hope this meeting dlnot carry airay a xrrong impres;ion. It was statcd in the paper read the otlicr night at \Vool&h that 3,000 rounds ncrc fired, and that the guns killed a great many Zulus. But the fact was, the Gatling ~rasof an obsolete pattern. Two guns were Ecnt out from England in the transport that as ~~cekcd,mid thcsc xwre rcplaccd by two sent from the Mauritius, guns that had been tlicrc since 18i2 I EU~POSC. ,But. the question is whether the men who used the guns understood them. 31r. XOBDESFELT: Is tlierc more thnn one pattern in the Service? 3Iajor ROGERS: Yes, there arc two calibres. 7th. EOBDESFELT: There is only one pattern. Xajor ROGERS: They were ncrer prcrionsly issucd to the troops ; thq were built for the Artillery in 1871 ; tho pattcrn is now an obsolete one, and they wcrc not such guns ns jou will hare to compete mth. Blr. NORDESPELT: I need not make many remarks by way of reply. Major Rogers has made some etatcnients about the Gatling gun which I am pleased to hear, because what the Gatling gun docs well my gun does better still. Wehare fired blank ammunition, and I hare offered to the authorities to send out one of my guns ivith blnnli ammunition. The difference bctrrecn my gun nnd the Gatling gun as to vollcy firing is rcry cnsilx dclined : wc do fire rollcjs, and the Gatling gun docs not. The Gatling of 1:irge calibrc in the Kary i3 065; but I liear that Dr. Gatlin- is now busy constructi11ga l&-inchgun. I eliall be glad to know its weight per caEbrc. I ham been mked whctlicr there is a shield to my guns. Thcre is not, but the Admiralty nuthoritics are going to put a sliicld round them, not abore, but below and'round the ccntrc, so as to protrct the men, their fnccs only being seen. As thc gallant Admiral has already said, I do not euppose the guns isill be on deck in a gcncral fight, crccpt for spccial purposcs and anti-torpedo purposes. With rcgard to the Borer rartridgc, I admit that it has great faults; but both the gdhnt Admiral and JLajor Rogers forgot to notice that my guns did fire over 10,000 Boxer cartridges at Shocburjness with tremendous rapidity, and thrre were only two that did not act properly. Dr. Gatling did not succccd in firing his thousand shots con- eecutirely at all. I admit that hc will probahly do better with a solid cartridge. 1 cannot spktoo highly of the fairncss of trials in England. Everything was donc, both at Portsmouth and at Shoeburyncss, in thc most mnrre2ously straightforrmrd manner. Crews hare bcen traincd for both guns, and ererjthing has becn donc in the fairest way. I think all the competing inrentors dlngrcc that thyhare been trcatcd most kindly nnd fairly. Thc gallant Admiral spoke about hitting the Turks.

Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 Well, that means hitting with fair accuracy; but hitting with accuracy at Shoeburp ness is a question of inches and fractions of inches. \Vhen you hare decimals of inchcs at 900 jard3 that is a rery different thing from ordinary firing. I should be vcry ploascd if the Admimlty would some time or other fire against a boiler with 120 Ibs. prcssure inside, to see the effect of a shot against 3 torpedo-boat boiler in action. I will now shorr the action of thcse guns. The CIIAIR~A?;: In all these discussions it is, of course, impossible to prcreut a ccrtnin nmount of riralry bctircen two different sjstems. I am sorry there is no Officer present who was with the i'*aral Brigade under Colonel L'earson before thej marched to Ekoac. I was told that tn-o Gatling guns did great execution on that occasion. Major ROGERS: I think thcy wcre nard guns. Thc Cua~nuas: I ~33told that the guns wrc rery serciccable. a00 THE: KORDENFELT MACHISE GUSS

Xajor ROGERS:There was a complaint in the dispatch that the men did not understand the gun, that they upset it and dnrnaged the action. The CIIAIRKAS: With regard to the Nordenfelt system, I understand it is going to hare a thorough trial, and a3 Nr. Nordenfelt acknowledges that the trial will be a fair one, we mud await with pat interest and anxiety the result OF the competition.’ Of couwc tlieec discussions arc 80 far beneficial that they ventilate the subject, but the real test is, first tho trial in timc of pcacc, and, nbove all, the trid on actirs service. The defects of the giins thcn become apparent, and are aftcrrrardj corrected. I have only now to ask gou to give jour cordkl thanks to Jlr. n’ordeii- feIt for bringing tlieso matters before u3.

1 Appendices B, C, and I) have bcen supplied by Mr. Nordenfelt since tho reading of his papcr.-ED. Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016 Downloaded by [University of Arizona] at 09:07 06 June 2016