HOW GUN-BARRELS ARE MADE. 



233 



vantage to be derived from any conical form of 

 breech does not arise from any peculiarity attached 

 to the ignition of the gunpowder, but solely from the 

 effect of the angular shape ; conical form being best 

 suited, or presenting the least direct surface, to the 

 action of the exploded fluid : the angles receive the 

 blow and throw it off at the same opposite angle, and 

 so on, without receiving any amount of force from the 

 element striking it, and thus the elastic fluid is enabled 

 to be resisted efficaciously. The cone becomes and 



forms an artificial solid base, to a certain extent ; and 

 as such, it is much more beneficial than the same 

 quantity of powder ignited on a flat surface, — as a 

 common plug breech, for instance; for here the 



