MUZZLE-LOADERS AND BREECH-LOADERS. 37 
Personally, the writer has always preferred British 
to French or Belgian guns, although chance has 
compelled him to own as many of the latter as the 
former. The English gun is made for work; even 
when cheaply manufactured, 1 will be found efiec- 
tive where efficiency is necessary ; and it is far more 
beautiful to the eye of a true sportsman, with its 
plain blued lock-plates, and total deficiency of orna- 
ment, than the Continental weapon, covered with 
engraving and ornamentation, but defective in some 
of those minutiz that lend nothing to its beauty, 
but add much to its usefulness. This is particularly 
the case with breech-loaders, which, if not manu- 
factured carefully, are almost useless, and which, 
although originally invented in France, are at this 
day produced in more serviceable style—unless 
where the highest-priced article is obtained—in Eng- 
land than in the country of their origin. Great dis- 
credit was brought upon breech-loaders among us at 
their first introduction, in consequence of the impor- 
tation of inferior articles, and they still labor under 
the disadvantages of that failure, althowgh rapidly 
overcoming all objections. 
There are a few implements that are necessary to 
the use of a breech-loader, which are much simpler 
than they at first appear. To load the cartridge is 
required either a short ramrod and a machine for 
turning over the edges of the case upon the wad, to 
retain it in its place, or an apparatus, also invented 
by Jeffries, that combines all the requisites for load- 
ing, and by the aid of which a hundred cartridges 
