THE EOYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
437 
PART II. 
DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN MITRAILLEURS. 
With reference to Note *, p. 423, I feel it necessary to make some 
apologies for the meagre and insufficient information given in the 
foregoing table, and also to explain why full details as to the con¬ 
struction of some mitrailleurs are given below, but few or none as to 
that of others. 
Regarding the table, I have not found it possible, as yet, to fill it in 
with absolute certainty that the weights, &c., would be correct, and 
have therefore thought it better to leave it as it is, in hopes of being 
able to furnish a more complete table at some future time. 
Full details of the construction of our service Gatling are given, for 
reasons sufficiently obvious. 
The French mitrailleur, and that of Christophe and Montigny, have 
been often described elsewhere; and, moreover, their type seems one 
not likely to be copied again. 
The mechanism of the Palmcrantz mitrailleur has been minutely 
detailed, not only because of the many advantages the weapon itself 
plainly possesses, but also on account of the novelty of the mechanism, 
which, though complicated, from the number of parts, is otherwise of 
much merit. 
At present, however, our own Gatling, of a simpler construction 
though slower in fire, seems a better weapon. 
The Gatling Gun. 
This belongs to the description of mitrailleurs where the barrels 
revolve, and are charged simultaneously. Each barrel has its special 
lock, which accompanies it during revolution, and is also capable of 
motion backwards and forwards. It pushes the cartridge into its 
barrel, then serves as a breech, and afterwards extracts the empty 
cartridge. Each lock has a striker with spiral spring, and an extractor. 
The system is caused to revolve by means of a crank fixed on the 
right side of the piece. 
The following improvements have been made in those of more recent 
construction:—* 
* Oar service Gatlings possess all these improvements, but the Swedo-Norwegian Committed 
think that if the normal rate of fire is exceeded they are likely to get out of order; and also that 
the mechanism is too complicated. 
