This book is a very important text for any student of the development of the machine gun, and contains details of the history of this weapon from its inception to the mid-ppoint of the First World War. The evolution of the machine gun is detailed, followed by examples of the use of the wepon in war, and particularly in the Russo-Japanese War.Tactics are examined in detail, both from the historical point of view and tactics of the First World War, an important part of the book. Training is covered, particularly from the British Army side, and the relevant chapter has much of great value in it.Perhaps the most important part of the book however is the examination of the machine guns of the armies then at war. There is in addition a complete chapter on machine guns in the German Army, which is of specific importance to any study of the tactics on the western front.The book is illustrated with a series of good photographs and a number of line drawings of both early and current machine guns, and there is also a large scale drawing of the Vickers gun.