HOW GUN-BARRELS ARE MADE. 2 1 I 



COUNTERFEIT BARRELS. 



" I have had several pairs of barrels sent from 

 Berlin and Vienna, to be fitted up in the English 

 style, with a certain knowledge that they were wanted 

 for patterns ; and in justice let it be said, the mate- 

 rial and figure in the barrel were most beautiful : be- 

 ing a variety of Damascus, or fancy pattern in the 

 metal, superior to anything seen of this country's manu- 

 facture. True, this is not an essential requisite, being 

 more for appearance than utility ; but the fact clearly 

 shows the industry and will of the artisan. The iron, 

 too, in clearness and density, we can scarcely surpass; 

 therefore, if I regret that we are not advancing with 

 our competitors, it proceeds from a clear conviction of 

 the truth that we are slumbering upon our fancied 

 superiority. A friend who had lately visited Liege, 

 informed me that in one gun-maker's shop alone were 

 employed fourteen of our best workmen ; in fact he 

 brought with him a gun which attests the great 

 improvement the Belgians have made of late 

 years. I have had possession of three guns, bearing 

 on the lock and barrels, ' Joseph Manton, London ' ; 

 'Joseph Egg, London'; and 'John Manton & Son, 

 London ' ; all of which were manufactured in Belgium ; 

 and so well is the imitation executed, that it would 

 puzzle most amateurs to discover the fraud." 



