1864. | Tunnent’s Story of the Guns. 363 
of “another place,”—we could not help feeling that if ever a cause 
had been lost by too much pleading, it was in the case before us. 
It matters not how true every alleged fact may be, there is from 
beginning to end of the work such a palpable animus, and the same 
statements and contrasts are so frequently reiterated to the prejudice 
of Sir William Armstrong, and dwelt upon so significantly, that a 
great portion of what should have given scientific interest to the work 
is completely cast into the shade by the political attack. 
Having thus given expression to our discontent at the author's 
mode of treating this portion of his subject, and acting, as we believe, 
with more generosity than if we had retailed any of the episodes in the 
story of the Gunmakers which he has published, we proceed to glance 
rapidly over the contents of the volume. The first part of the work 
is devoted to the history of the musket and rifle, commencing with 
* Brown Bess,” and closing with the triumph of the “‘ Whitworth” over 
the “ Enfield.” Although, of course, the work refers rather to the 
past of the Enfield rifle than to its present state, it being described 
not as it is, but as it was, we have some very interesting comparisons 
between the early performances of the two weapons last named ; and 
these have been illustrated very effectively by drawings of two targets, 
which exhibit the relative shooting made by the two rifles. 
Let us mention, in passing, that we have seldom seen a work so 
admirably illustrated, the subjects for illustration being so well 
selected, and the execution so perfect, that explanations are hardly 
requisite, and a glance over the plates suffices to afford a good idea of 
the recent development in the fabrication of arms of offensive warfare. 
The bullet-marks on the Enfield rifle target are scattered about in 
every direction, many of them touching the very edges of the target, 
and very few approaching the centre ; whilst in the Whitworth target, 
every mark is within one of the four central squares (there are in 
each target 20 shot-marks, and 42 squares), and many of them impinge 
upon the centre lines of the target. 
From the consideration of small arms, the author passes, in his 
second Part, to that of ordnance, and here again we have a most inter- 
esting and graphic description of the various guns which have either 
had their hour and have passed away, or which are still in use here or 
elsewhere; amongst English rifled guns we have an account of the 
“ Lancaster,” “‘ Whitworth,” “ Bashley Britten,” ‘ Lynall Thomas,” 
“ Jeffery,” “ Hadden,” “ Scott,’ and ‘‘ Armstrong,” with sections of all 
but the two first inserted on two opposite pages to exhibit their respective 
systems of rifling. Reference is made, too, to the French “ canons rayés” 
and to the monster gun forged by the Mersey Steel Company at Liver- 
pool. This gun weighs above 24 tons, and discharges a spherical ball 
300 lbs. in weight; and some idea may be formed of its effect, by a refer- 
ence to the frontispiece which represents the famous “‘ Warrior Target,” 
and exhibits the havoc made on it by this gun, as compared with the 
Whitworth. The remainder of the second part is taken up with the 
history of Sir William Armstrong, Mr. Whitworth, and their respec- 
tive inventions ; and we are told by the author that the mode of dealing 
adopted towards inventors by the State and the official appointment 
