82 DETONATING SYSTEM. 



reverse, he may probably meet with obstacles to getting 

 it fairly circulated for trial ; and, for this very reason, 

 the author is induced to mention it. He hopes, there- 

 fore, that some other sporting-writer, who may be going 

 to press after the ensuing season, will have time to 

 review, and further inform the public as to the merits 

 or demerits of this invention." 



Little was I aware, at the time of writing this, that 

 the third edition would be out of print in a few months, 

 and that it would fall to my lot to give the next report 

 of this powder. 



I before said, " as this new system is the life and 

 soul of trade, let us hope that the gunrnakers will 

 exert their chemical powers to render this ' devil's 

 powder' (as Mr. D. Egg used to call it) less poisonous 

 to fire-arms." 



It appears, however, that the gunmakers knew better. 

 But Mr. Joyce has proved a sad enemy to the fraternity 

 who fatten on the destruction of iron, by establishing a 

 manufactory of this anti-corrosive percussion powder, in 

 which he does away entirely with the oxy muriate. 



It may be hardly fair to say publicly what the 

 composition is (because Mr. Joyce candidly told me, 

 though I believe it is pretty well known) ; and although 

 it was long ago adopted by Mr. Goode Wright of 

 Hereford (according to a statement which, as an utter 

 stranger, I was favoured with by this gentleman), yet 

 Mr. Joyce has had so many obstacles to overcome be- 

 fore he could bring it to perfection, that we must, at all 

 events, give him a great deal of credit. In short, it is 

 of no consequence to me as the writer, and much less 

 to the public as readers, how much credit is to be given 



