Show TEST OF FIREARMS IN WAS washington HINGTON the Secre secretary tary lary of war members of the british and austrian legations legation cf misers fisers of the tile army and navy with many distinguished civilians were present yesterday by appointment at the washington arsenal Ai senal senai to winess A experimental tests of inventions of great importance A patent train fuse invented by gome gomez mills appeared to possess all the tho advantages of the galvanic al battery in velocity of ignition while as a it is not detonating it cannot br be exploded by any chance blow cannon were fired with it almost quicker than thought at a ion iou dis distance stance and it wa was fired yards under water hales halen improved unproved rocket was also satisfactorily feted tile the rackets fcc nets were fired from their carriage and struck with remarkable accuracy a at a disanze di sance sanse of yards they gave the greatest satisfaction ane great feature of the exhibition however was the teat of the breach loading rifle of mr morse monse of loui Louis louisana idna iana which proved a remarkable we apon possess possessing ilig 1119 miny milly points of novelty and of excellence the tile mechanism by which the tha beech bleech of the gun is opened for loading is simple yet et strong and secure the charge is contained 11 ill in small metallic cartridges which have ca at one extremity a conical pointed hollow ball then comes the very small mall amount of powder required and at the tile other extremity is is the percussion sion bion cap these cartridges can be easily coaled are waterproof ter tir proof and can be used for a long time lime the tile piece is is loaded and fired in four motions viz the fhe first op opens e ris tile the breech withdraws the is hell shell of the last cartridge fired arid and cocks the piece at the second motion the loaded cartridge is is insert ed the tile third motion closes t the e breech and arid at the fourth motion the cock can belet down artlie or the piece fired after the most mot severe tests there was no ell eil evidence dence of the escape of the charge or any gas except at the he muzzle of the piece puce the file accuracy with which the rifle can be fired is truly and ana was conclusively proved the secretary of war used one with great effect hitting a matr maik at eight hundred and fifty yards birds dial distance ance and other Zent gentlemen lemen gave equally satisfactory proofs of the excellency and the accuracy of this wonderful weapon the facility with which it can be fired was also perfectly demonstrated st and the utility of the weapon vas was more fully shown by placing it under underwater water letting it remain here there and then firing it it was also placed under water when loaded and then fired neither neitha dil dij the admixture of sand with the wate water clog the tha movements of the lock nothing can be more perfect than its operation or more accurate than its aim and it received the highest praise from the he many matiy distingue di distinguished is lied and qualified judges judged present washington union dec 10 |