DETONATING SYSTEM. 71 



magnifying glass} at the work in every part of Mr. 

 Joseph Manton's guns, and at those of most other 

 makers, and he will discover about the same difference 

 that there is between one of Leader's or Houlditch's 

 town-built coaches, and that gothic vehicle which 

 among our moderns is yclept a " Jarvy" 



But let every man make every part of a gun him- 

 self, and then, I believe, Mr. D. Egg would in his 

 younger days have had the laugh against them all. 

 This, however, is no more required than that an 

 architect should handle well a hammer or a trowel ; 

 and a great part of those mechanics who set up and 

 work for themselves consists of those, who, from 

 having been journeymen in only one department of 

 gunmaking, are probably but superficially acquainted 

 with even the theory of the other. 



THE BARREL 



SHOULD be fourteen gauge, to let the powder bum 

 easy ; and (as before observed) at least two feet eight 

 inches ; and if two feet ten inches, or even three feet, 

 so much the better; in order riot only to keep the 

 shot together at long distances, but to prevent the 

 gas from driving out the powder before it is thoroughly 

 ignited. It has been argued to me (by the way) that 

 many people have cut long barrels shorter, and found 

 that they afterwards killed even better ! Very likely : 

 and for why? because the barrels were improperly 

 bored for a long caliber, and, therefore, the length, 



