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WHY SOME BULLETS MISS THEIIR
BILLETS.
Mr. Treves, the famouso surgeon, since
his return to England, has been giving his
opinion as to the relative value of the Lee- -
ltetford, Mauser, and Martini-Henry rifles,
based on his experience in South Africa
lheol attending wounded soldiers. Among
several interesting facts he records one
n hich may account for many of our bullets
having failed to find their billets. The
lautser cartridge, he tells us, is loaded with
smnoeless powder which look like so many
pieces of small coal. The Lee-AMetford car
tridge, on the other hand, is packed with
small gelatine-like strings of cordite, which
is made from nitro-glycerine. Tottmy At
kins, according to 'Mr. Trevrs, frequently
extracts the cordite, and, being a mild sort
of stimulant, eats it. As he says "one
cannot expect a bullet to go home after
such treatment of the cartridge." Con
sidering the privations "Tommy" has hild
to undergo in the Transvaal, and the num
ber of timnes when, owing to the blundering
of the War Olnce officials, he has had to
exits on the smell of the proverbial oil-rag,
it is hardly a matter for surprise if he has
occasionally endeavoured to satisfy the
pangs of hunger by devouring the contents
of his cartridges. In this respect he has
evidently been better off thian his "brother
hoer." The Martini-Henry bullet is term
ed by Mr. Treves the most destructive bul
let of the campaign.
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