HOUSEBOAT-GUN-DOG 4 1 



Joseph Manton was the king of gunmakers 

 and Peter Hawker the prince of sportsmen 

 an apology will not be required for describing 

 some of the guns built by the former and 

 giving a few extracts from the opinion of the 

 latter on the subject of shooting. Whether 

 the shooter of the present day reads Col. 

 Hawker's notes with approval or disapproval 

 a large majority will agree that he was sound 

 in his opinion as to the requisites of a first 

 rate gun. He writes, that there should be 

 "( I ) soundness and perfect safety in guns, 

 ( 2 ) the barrels correctly put together for 

 accurate shooting, ( 3 ) the elevation being 

 mathematically true, and raised strictly in 

 proportion to the length of the barrels, (4) 

 the stock properly cast off to the eye, and 

 well fitted to the hand and shoulder." It is 

 strange that such a sportsman as Col. 

 Hawker should dismiss another very es- 

 sential requisite of a gun in these words : 

 " I say nothing of the balance, because any 

 good carpenter, with some lead and a cen- 

 ter-bit, can regulate this to the shooter's 

 fancy." There are few shooters who would 

 purchase a gun unless properly balanced by 

 the maker, and there is not a first class 

 gunmaker who would allow one of his guns 



