Spencers in West Africa

[treebeard]

I have started reading a history of the French Foreign Legion called " Our Friends Beneath The Sands" and the part about the
early 1890's it mentions that a West African King in the part of west Africa that the French were trying to take over had
found that his flintlocks were not adequate against the French breech loaders.  He then started efforts to acquire
breech loaders which included Winchesters and Spencers. Apparently they came from  German West Africa. maybe the
Germans had left over captures from the Franco-Prussian war.

No great news here just thought it interesting.

[Jake C]

I've always enjoyed reading about the classic 'American rifles' and all of the exotic locations they ended up, like the usage of Spencers by Brazillian units in the War of the Triple Alliance. The news about Spencers and Winchester is Africa is interesting and news to me. I'll need to pick up "Our Friends Beneath the Sands."

[El Supremo]

Hello:

Your postings prompt me to wonder about Spencers in Australia. 
There may have been many brought there by miners.

Perhaps Herbert will enlighten us.  He might have seen many there.

Respectfully,

El Supremo / Kevin Tinny

[treebeard]

Reading further along the Spencer's were issued to an all female unit of Amazons. According to a Legioniare who observed
Them fight from a reserve position they were much more effective fighters than the men. They were much admired for
Their bravery.

[Herbert]

Spencer carbines were issued to the Victorian and NSW police.They were very popular in Australia and one of the commonest repeaters up until the Winchester 92

[El Supremo]

Aha:

Good to see you, Herbert.
Had wondered about where you saw so many. 

Much appreciated.

El Supremo / Kevin Tinny

[Two Flints]

Hello All,

How about bringing this link into the discussion

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,17279.msg258165/topicseen.html#msg258165

[treebeard]

Now I have read that while the French were taking over Vietnam they came into serious opposition by
Winchester and Spencer armed locals. This is mid 1890's time frame. Had no idea how widely used
Both of these firearms were and for how long.

[Snakeeater]

Just as we have seen photos of Spencer carbines bearing Thai and Cambodian markings, in 1865 after the fall of the Confederacy, the former Confederate superintendent of the Macon Laboratory, James H. Burton, who, from 1855 to 1860 had served as chief engineer at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock in England, left the United States to complete the installation of the new machinery for making the machine-made government pattern Enfield at BSA's new armory at Small Heath, afterwards took a contract to oversee the installation of new machinery at the Russian arsenal at Tula to manufacture the Spencer. Now, those would be some rare Spencers!

[Professor Marvel]

I am currently watching a Japanes Drama called "Yae no Sakura" in which surplussed U.S. Civil War arms were purchased by the Japanese, particularly Spencers! Seems they went all over the globe!

http://asianwiki.com/Yae_no_Sakura

pretty lady, deadly with a spenccer!
http://asianwiki.com/images/e/eb/Yae_no_Sakura-p3.jpg

yhs
prof marvel

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

Looks like this thread is going to take us all around the world


Japanese Samurai Kawadu-izunokami



Japanese modified Spencer