There is a strong appreciation in military circles of the absolute necessity of increasing the fire power during an infantry attack, at the moderate and short ranges, for it is at these ranges that the decision is usually gained or lost.

With the expected casualties, the heavy expenditure of ammunition at the longer ranges during the advance, the overheating of the high power rifles including the semi-automatics and automatics, and further, the necessary lifting of the covering fire of the machine guns and the artillery, when the short ranges are reached, the fire on the enemy is greatly diminished at a time when success of the attack depends upon its augmentation.

At these comparatively short ranges, high velocity, with its consequent overheating and difficult control is not a necessity. The same or greater stopping power may be secured by an increase in the bullet weight and a decrease in velocity, the rate of fire and number of shots fired in a given time not being limited by the heating factor in a properly designed gun.

Combat conditions therefore call for an additional weapon to supplement and reinforce the diminishing fire of existing weapons at the critical stage of the combat. This weapon should have the following general characteristics:

1 . Absolute freedom from stoppage due to overheating.

2. A maximum effective range normally to. 350 - 400 yds, with an emergency range to 600 yds by use of tracer ammunition.

3. It should use an ammunition supply already established.

4. It should have fully controllable semi-automatic and full automatic fire, and its full fire power should be capable of being delivered by one man.

5. It must be light in weight, and have extreme flexibility in fire control and direction.

6. Its rate of fire when fired full automatically must not be much in excess of 600 shots per minute.

7. It must function in a reliable manner, and if malfunctions occur due to ammunition or other causes, they must clear readily, without the use of tools, or long periods of inaction.

The Thomson Sub Machine Gun U. S. Navy Model 1928 meets and fulfils these conditions absolutely. This model has been produced in accordance with the final and unanswerable test of actual "Battle Use."

This model uses the regular Cal .45 pistol cartridge, its rate of full automatic fire is in the vicinity of 600 shots per minute, dependent to a certain extent on the power of the cartridge used. It is semi-automatic, or automatic at will.

The application of the Cutts Compensator has rendered it fully controllable by any one in both automatic and semi-automatic fire, with a training period measured by minutes. The intense and deadly fire power of this gun must be witnessed before it can be even partially appreciated.