APPENDIX. 181 



anti-oxidating property, for I have repeatedly fomid that having 

 fired upwards of twenty rounds with this percussion powder, and 

 laid the piece by for a month without the least cleansing, it has been, 

 at the expiration of that time, as perfectly free from the least speck 

 of rust as the day it came new from the maker's shop. This would 

 certainly not be the case even mth a common flint lock ; but as 

 for the common percussion powder, composed of superoxygenated 

 muriate of potash, it actually corrodes the parts of a gun as much 

 as a drop of nitric acid itself; in fact, upon combustion, it evolves 

 and leaves a residuum of that active fluid upon the iron The con- 

 sequent rapid destruction of the parts is such as would, especially 

 in military service, occasion great inconvenience. 



I have often compared notes, and reflected upon the respective 

 advantages belongmg to the magazme or copper cap locks either 

 for military or sportmg purposes. Of magazme locks hitherto 

 invented, the best and simplest is that by Eorsyth, with the maga- 

 zine sliding upon a plane, in which is the touch-hole, bemg connected 

 with the cock by a bridle, which causes it to follow or precede its 

 motions. Eor military use, this lock has the advantage over the 

 conper cap, inasmuch as it saves the time and attention required 

 for primino-— nothing else being reqmred than to cock and pull the 

 trigger In rifle practice, the use of this lock will more than 

 retrieve the small additional portion of time which it requires to 

 push down even my rifle cartridge, above what it takes to drop a 

 cartridge into a common musket, vnth all its windage. On horse- 

 back, the advantages of such magazine locks are still more evident 

 and important, as every one knows what an awkward loss ot time 

 and powder the operation of priming a flint lock occasions to a horse- 

 man in motion: whereas, with the magazme, contaimng thirty or 

 forty primings, and a swivel ramrod, a carbine or pistol may be loaded 

 with the some speed or precision on horseback, at a trot or a gallop, 

 as when sitting m a chair. It is certamly easier to put on a copper 

 cap than to prime a flint lock, but. \vith the magazine, there is no 

 priming operation at all. With the common corrosive percussion 

 powder above spoken of, the magazine lock certainly becomes very 

 unfit for military purposes ; for after having fired a shot or two 

 without subsequent cleaning, the lock will be nearly immovable 

 the day after. However, in the late Spanish campaign ot iS2d, i 

 had several magazine rifles and pistols, and no other than the cor- 

 rosive percussion powder, but the officers and men to whom i 

 entrusted them were so proud and so careful of them, as to keep 

 them always in the most perfect order. Anyhow, it is evident 

 that, for cavalry officers at least, the percussion magazine locks are 

 undoubtedly to be preferred ; and, for both officers and men, i will 

 observe, en passant, that it is far better to have one double pistol 

 than two or half-a dozen suigle ones ; and that whether one or two 

 pistols be used, they should, upon going into action, be secm-ed by 

 a thong to the sword-belt, so as, in case of need, to be mstanoly dis- 

 posed of by being dropped over the left shoulder. By havmg only 



