233 



LONG SHOTS. 



OUR artillerists have paid more attention of late years 

 to the destructive properties of various forms of cannon 

 than to the question of range. It was different when 

 first the rifling of cannon was under discussion. Then 

 the subject which was most attentively considered 

 (after accuracy of fire) was the range which might 

 possibly be attained by various improvements in the 

 structure of rifled cannon. Many of my readers 

 will remember how, soon after the construction of 

 Armstrong guns had been commenced in the Govern- 

 ment factories, a story was spread abroad of the 

 wonderful practice which had been made with this gun 

 at a range of seven miles. At that tremendous range, 

 a shot had been fired into the middle of a flock of 

 geese, according to one version of the story ; but this 

 was presently improved upon, and we were told that a 

 bird had been singled out of the flock by the artillerists 

 and successfully 'potted.' Many believed this little 

 narrative ; though some few, influenced perhaps by the 

 consideration that a flock of geese would not be visible 

 at a distance of seven miles, were obstinately in- 

 credulous. Presently it turned out that the Arm- 

 strong gun was incapable of throwing a shot to a 

 distance of seven miles ; so that a certain air of 

 improbability has since attached to the narrative. 

 Still there were not wanting those who referred to 

 ' Queen Anne's pocket-pistol ' the cannon which was 



