DAMASCUS BARRELS. 23 



instead of with, the grain. All this may be easily de- 

 monstrated, by putting some acid to eat away the iron. 

 I should not have ventured to pronounce my feeble 

 judgment on a point of this kind, was it not that I am 

 of the same opinion as Mr. Joseph Manton, and some 

 other first-rate gunmakers. 



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 Birmingham is very 

 trifling : viz. 



. s. d. 



Forging . . . . 1 10 



Boring and grinding - . . . 050 

 Filing and patent breech . . 11 



Proof 1 6 



276 



" The stub barrels, which are generally used for best 

 guns, cost about sixteen shillings each. 



" Went to the proof-house, and was present at the 

 proving of an immense number of barrels. The proof, 

 as ordered by act of parliament, is to one ounce ball, 

 thirteen drams and a half of best cartridge powder, with 

 a very stiff wadding of paper on each ; and so on, more 

 or less, according to whatever ball will tightly fit the 

 caliber. It has been observed to me here, that the 

 London gunmakers do not go the cheapest way to work, 



