hooks in this position. 5. Tested in competition with the ordinary
coupling stock.

The trial was a success. The new automatic coupling satisfactorily
underwent the various conditions, and it was proved that: 1. It can be
lifted out of action with one hand and quite easily. 2. It can be
coupled and uncoupled six times as fast as with the pole hook in the
daytime. At night this advantage would be considerably increased.

The coupling is strong as well as elastic in its parts, and adjusts
itself to the various conditions of traction.--_Engineering_.

* * * * *

[Continued from SUPPLEMENT, No. 597, page 9539.]




MAGAZINE RIFLES.


_Chaffee-Reece Magazine Rifle_.--We do not insert a drawing of this
arm--one of the three selected by the American board--as it belongs to
the same class and is similar in general construction to the Hotchkiss.
There is, however, an important difference in the magazine, which has no
spiral spring, but is furnished instead with an ingenious system of
ratchet bars. One of these carries forward the cartridge a distance
equal to its own length at each reciprocal motion of the bolt, while a
second bar has no longitudinal motion, but prevents the cartridges from