HOW GUN-BARRELS ARE MADE. 2\*J 



breadth. Being pickled in acid, to eat away the 

 iron, it exhibits the following appearance : — 



This iron has long been held in great esteem. It 

 looks pretty, but certainly does not possess either the 

 strength or tenacity of wire-twist iron. It is well 

 known that the strength of a rope may be destroyed 

 by twisting it too much : so is it with this sort of 

 iron. Iron is best when not twisted at all : I speak 

 of the bar. It resembles wood, inasmuch as the 

 strands or fibres run parallel, firmly adhere, and add 

 strength to each other • if you twist those fibres you 

 tear them asunder, and they no longer support each 

 other. So it is with iron. 



" The objection made to the wire-twist is, that owing 

 to the iron and steel being perfectly separate bodies 

 running through the whole thickness of the barrel, 

 there is a difficulty in welding them perfectly ; and 

 of course there is danger of their breaking across, at 

 any trifling imperfection or mis- weld. This objection 

 is certainly well grounded, as many barrels break in 

 the proving. I have seen a very strong barrel indeed 

 broken across the knee without the slightest difficulty, 

 while, to all appearance, it was perfectly sound. This 

 is the reason why the manufacturers have ceased to 

 make them, except for the American trade. 

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