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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
while several European states had one or two Montigny mitrailleurs 
manufactured for trial. - * 
In 1867, our Ordnance Select Committee tried a Gatling gun against 
a 9-pr. R-.B.L. gun, with very fair results for the former; while in 
1869, as Major Eosbery had reported favourably to the India Office 
upon the Montigny, and the French Government were making a similar 
weapon in considerable numbers, it was decided to carry out further 
trials, both with the Montigny and the Gatling gun, which latter had 
been much improved by Mr. Broadwell since the experiments of 1869.f 
In August, 1870, a Special Committee carried out these further trials, 
which resulted in the preference being given to the Gatling gun, a small 
number of which the Committee recommended should be at once pur¬ 
chased. 
Their report was made in November, 1870, at which date a full 
knowledge had not been obtained of the effects of the mitrailleurs used 
in the Franco-German war of that year. Twelve Gatling guns, however, 
of small calibre, for land service, and 24 of medium, together with 12 of 
small size, for sea service, were ordered as a tentative measure, until 
further experience was gained. 
In November, 1871, the Special Committee above mentioned having 
prosecuted further enquiry as to the intentions of foreign Governments 
regarding machine guns, and having examined a number of officers who 
were present with French or German armies during the war, made a 
second report, in which they adhered to their former opinion, recom¬ 
mending the adoption of the larger Gatling gun of 0 f 65-in. bore for 
coast defences and naval service, and the smaller of 0'45-in. calibre 
for field purposes. 
As already mentioned, a small number of these guns had been ordered 
in 1870, and it was thought advisable, before manufacturing any more, 
that these should be thoroughly tried in the service. 
This course seems to have been a wise one; for according to the 
report of the Swedo-Norwegian Commission upon Mitrailleurs, which is 
dated November, 1872, a machine gun superior in almost every par¬ 
ticular to our service Gatling* has been invented by certain Swedish 
patentees. J 
Having run briefly through the history of the compound and machine 
* In 1,867j our military attache at Paris forwarded a battery gun invented by a Mr. Mouceux, 
consisting of 21 barrels, in three tiers. This was inferior to the Gatling and Palmer guns. In the 
same year, Her Majesty’s minister at Brussels called attention to the manufacture of the Montigny 
mitrailleurs. In 1868, also, a rifle battery, invented by Colonel Claxton, was submitted for trial. 
This consisted of 8, 10, or 20 barrels, to be fired by pairs. It did not appear so good an arm as the 
Montigny. 
f Between July and November 1870, numerous inventions, or supposed inventions, were submitted 
for trial, but were found much inferior to the Gatling. Some of these conceptions were rather 
extravagant— e.g., one gentleman proposed a gun, to the muzzle of which was to be fixed a 
“ spreader,” resembling the “ rose ” of a garden hose. Through this small shot were to be dis¬ 
charged from the gun! 
J Since this was written, further report on the mitrailleur in question has been made by a 
French Committee, who do not view it so favourably. (Vide p. 443) j 
