862 ANDREW HOWLAND RUSSELL. 



with the introduction of smokeless powder, and of pointed projectiles, 

 the dcAelopment seems to have reached a certain climax and to have 

 come to a finish for the time being. . . . The character of fighting 

 has altogether changed." 



In 1908, having served over forty years he applied to be placed 

 on the retired list. In appi'oving his application, the Chief of Ord- 

 nance spoke in highest terms of his ability, good judgment and devo- 

 tion to duty, especially while acting as Chief of Ordnance for several 

 months, saying that his reports of the Ordnance Exhibits at the Cin- 

 cinnati and Chicago Exhibitions had been valuable contributions to 

 the service, and adding; — 



" Colonel Russell has also a very substantial claim to the inception 

 and first presentation of the modern clip system of loading magazine 

 guns, almost universally applied to the small arms of to-da,y. The 

 original gun, embodying this feature, presented by him and Col. 

 W. R. Livermore, U. S. A. before the United States Magazine Gun 

 Board of 1882 is in this office. Several other inventions of Col. 

 Russell's have been embodied in Ordnance Constructions, but without 

 pecuniary compensation to him. The Department and the Army are 

 indebted to him for efficient services." 



After retiring from active service he travelled in Europe for about 

 a year and then moved back to Plymouth where he died on the 16th 

 of June, 1915. 



It was a bitter disappointment that his own country had not been 

 the first to adopt his inventions; but on his death bed was gratified 

 to realize that the great war waging in Europe had demonstrated 

 beyond question the truth of the principles for Avhich he had fought 

 so long; that one nation after another had adopted the system of 

 guns of which he was a recognized pioneer, that the effect of their fire 

 was all that had been claimed, and that warfare had taken the form 

 which had been predicted. 



His name will long be remembered in the history of firearms and 

 especially of their development during the past forty years. 



W. R. Livermore. 



