28 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
THE BAVARIAN “ REVOLVER-CANNON.” 
BY 
CAPTAIN E. BARING,'R. A. 
In the commencement of the year 1870, a paper appeared in the 
iC Archives of the Prussian Artillery and Engineers,” written by Capt. 
Count Thurheim, on the “ Tactical value of the Revolver-Cannon.” The 
weapon to which allusion was made was that invented by Feldl of 
Augsburg. The main conclusion at which the author arrived was, that 
the Revolver-cannon would be of little service to an army in the field, 
except in certain special cases, when acting strictly on the defensive. 
During the war, a battery consisting of four of these guns was formed, 
placed under the command of Count Thurheim, and attached to the 
Bavarian corps of Yon der Tann. A report of Count Thiirheind s, 
dated December 30, 1870, is published in the current number of the 
“ Archives.” The following, without being a literal translation of this 
report, gives the most important points narrated in it. 
The Revolver-cannon of Feldl consists of four parallel barrels, rifled 
on the Werder system. The diameter of the bore is 11 millimetres 
(*433 in.); the weight of the bullet is 22 grammes (about 12‘4 drachms ); 
the charge is 4*3 grammes (about 2*4 drachms). By a mechanical 
arrangement the fire can be spread laterally over an arc of 28°. It is 
possible to discharge 400 bullets in a minute from the four barrels, but 
practically 300 per minute may be said to be the maximum rate obtain¬ 
able under ordinary circumstances. Each detachment consists of eight 
men, although only two are absolutely required to serve the gun. The 
following table shows the weight of the gun, limber, &c.:— 
lbs. 
The gun... 963 
The limber, with 6864 rounds . 1451 
The gun and limber, and 2 men . 2755 
The ammunition wagon,* C Alone . 3571 
with 16,016 rounds. £ With 6 men.. 4398 
The gun and wagon are each drawn by four horses; in the former 
case each horse, therefore, draws 709 lbs., in the latter 1095 lbs. 
* The ammunition wagons of the captured French “ canons de 4 ” were slightly altered, and used 
to carry the ammunition of the Reyolver-cannon. 
