52 MUZZLE-LOADERS AND BREECH-LOADERS. 
universally carry cartridges ioose in their pock- 
ets. 
“11. The extra weight incurred in being obliged 
to carry a sufficient number of cartridges for a day’s 
sport, in a very cumbersome leather case, with iron 
compartments, considerably exceeds the ordinary 
weight of powder-flask and shot-pouch, with ammu- 
nition for a similar amount of sport.” 
This may be, if any one is fool enough to use iron 
compartments; but ina proper receptacle—a leather 
belt—the weight is much less. 
“12. Another of the principal defects in the 
breech-loader is the flat surface of the breech, which 
scientific and practical experimenters have proved to 
be erroneous, by reason of the much greater power 
and extra force which may be obtained from the 
conical interior form of solid breech—the rule being 
that ‘force cannot be expended and retained also ;’ 
and as it must, of necessity, be expended to a certain 
degree by explosion and recoil on a flat-surfaced 
breech, extra powder is required to produce like 
effects to those which result from the solid conical 
breech. The recoil is also considerably greater on 
a flat surface than on a tapering one.” 
So much of the foregoing as is comprehensible, the 
tables of the Field trial “and practical experi- 
menters” have found to be erroneous. It will also 
be borne in mind that the inside end of the cartridge- 
case 1s conical. 
“13. Joints, joinings, slides, and bolts, are all 
inferior to a well-made screw, as regards soundness 
