32 BREECHING 



and thereby not only cuts off all superfluous angles, 

 which impede quick firing, and collect dirt, but the 

 narrowness of this chamber admits of the outside 

 metal being filed away, with the most perfect safety, 

 and lets in the lock so far, that the pan is brought 

 close to the charge of powder, by which means the 

 discharge of the gun becomes as instantaneous as 

 possible. All this, however, may be more clearly 

 demonstrated by a reference to the sections of all the 

 different gun breechings, of which there are now 

 published so many engravings, and in comparing 

 which the other decided advantages of this improve- 

 ment are fully manifested. 



Should it be suggested, that the narrowness of 

 this tube renders it difficult to be cleaned, let it be 

 remembered, that the rod, when it goes to the bottom 

 of the breech, forces the air through the centre tube 

 with such violence, that neither oil nor damp can be 

 left behind ; and, in the event of any dirt falling in, 

 there is a probe, which you screw on the ramrod : 

 and this little appendage is, or should be, attached 

 to your flintcase. 



It may be well, however, to observe, that many 

 of the gunmakers, who now adopt this breeching, 

 commit a sad fault, by making the centre tube too 

 small ; they are led into this error by knowing, that 

 the narrower the tube the stronger the gun willjire, 

 and are satisfied with the result of afew shots. But 

 were they to take their guns out for a whole day's 

 work, they would find, that, by thus attempting to 



