22 DAMASCUS BARRELS. 



mascus, when twisted, forms a continuation of small 

 grains running longitudinally r , which must be more 

 liable to open, if not to burst, than a continued round 

 of solid well-beat iron. It may be compared to a 

 piece of wood cut across, instead of with, the grain. 

 All this may be easily demonstrated, by putting some 

 acid to eat away the iron. I should not have ven- 

 tured to pronounce my feeble judgment on a point 

 of this kind, was it not that I arn of the same opinion 

 as Mr. Joseph Manton, and some other first-rate 

 gunmaker^. 



I shall now conclude under the head of " Barrels," 

 with a copy, verbatim, from a part of my journal 

 when last at Birmingham. 



" Saw the process of making Damascus barrels, 

 the mixture of iron and steel for which is beat out 

 in long bars, and then, previously to being wound 

 round the anvil, twisted by a kind of turning lathe 

 (similar to wringing cloths when wet), and then beat 

 flat again. Although these are by far the dearest 

 barrels that are made, yet the price of one in Birming- 

 ham is very trifling : viz. 



. s. d. 



Forging . . . ] 10 



Boring and grinding . . .050 



Filing and patent breech . . 0110 



Proof . 016 



7 6 



" The stub barrels, which are generally used for 

 best guns, cost about sixteen shillings each. 



