BARRELS. 11 



fying how far they were from being bored a perfect 

 cylinder, and therefore proving the absurdity of those 

 arguments which are all grounded upon this mistake. 

 Were a gun-barrel bored a true cylinder from end to 

 end, it might shoot nearly, or quite, as well if two 

 feet long as one of greater length, because a superfluity 

 of what may be strictly called lateral pressure would do 

 more harm than good, by checking, instead of assisting, 

 the force of the charge. But to these two feet of 

 cylinder let me add some more caliber, and that to con- 

 sist of proper opening and relief, and then shoot the 

 guns for a wager, and see how those new-discovery 

 gentlemen would come off who have been holding forth 

 to the public such nonsense in favour of short guns. 



Cannons are bored a cylinder, because they are 

 generally used for firing ball, and therefore may be 

 short : but how have they always thrown loose shot ? 

 Why, most miserably, till General Shrapnell invented 

 his admirable shells that keep the charge together for 

 a second explosion, which takes place a little before the 

 shot has reached the object. It is one thing to speak 

 of things plausibly, another to state them correctly. 



In the following schedule I have taken three of the 

 largest-sized guns, because a little sporting-gun is on 

 so small a scale, that although the relief may be felt 

 in a moment by passing a proper gauge through the 

 caliber, yet the barrel is so diminutive, that it would 

 be difficult to measure, and specify ', the exact depth of 

 this relief. 



N. B. If any gunmaker had candidly informed me 

 as to his mode of boring barrels, I should have felt 

 myself bound in honour never to divulge, much less 



