_Z¸nd-nadel Guns._--In paper of September or October last, I saw a
letter dated Berlin, Sept. 11, which commenced--
"We have had this morning a splendid military spectacle, and
being the first of the kind since the revolution, attracted
immense crowds to the scene of action."
"The Fusileer battalions (light infantry) were all armed with
the new z¸nd-nadel guns, the advantages and superiority of which
over the common percussion musket now admits of no
contradiction, with the sole exception of the facility of
loading being an inducement to fire somewhat too quick, when
firing independently, as in battle, or when acting en
tirailleur. The invincible pedantry and amour-propre of our
armourers and inspectors of arms in England, their
disinclination to adopt inventions not of English growth, and
their slowness to avail themselves of new models until they are
no longer new, will, undoubtedly, exercise the usual influence
over giving this powerful weapon even a chance in England. It is
scarcely necessary to point out the great advantages that these
weapons, carrying, let us say, 800 yards with perfect accuracy,
have over our muskets, of which the range does not exceed 150,
and that very uncertain. Another great advantage of the
z¸nd-nadel is, that rifles or light infantry can load with ease
without effort when lying flat on the ground. The opponents of
the z¸nd-nadel talk of over-rapid firing and the impossibility
of carrying sufficient ammunition to supply the demands. This is
certainly a drawback, but it is compensated by the immense
advantage of being able to pour in a deadly fire when you
yourself are out of range, or of continuing this fire so
speedily as to destroy half your opponents before they can
return a shot with a chance of taking effect."
This was the first intimation I ever had of the z¸nd-nadel guns. I
should like to know when and by whom they were invented, and their
mechanism.