356 LOADING AND 



Then reverse the rod, and work the powder well into 

 the centre-hole, with the small end of it, C * ; because 

 when loaded in a horizontal position no wadding what- 

 ever will drive cannon-powder sufficiently home to fill 

 the centre-hole of a solid breeching ; the consequence 

 of which is slow shooting with a flint ; and repeated 

 missing fire with a detonater. (This I never proved 

 till last winter. The want of having discovered it be- 

 fore has cost me hundreds of birds ; and had almost 

 converted me to the opinion of many gunners, that 

 " patent breechings never answer for large guns.") 

 Having thus properly lodged your powder, you have 

 then only to add the wadding; while doing which, 

 elevate the gun as much as you can. 



Now, then, to the plan for the shot. Why did car- 

 tridges always shoot in patches ? Because the thick- 

 ness of the paper interfered with the regular delivery 

 of the shot. Why was not very thin paper adopted ? 

 Because the form of a shot-cartridge could not be pre- 

 served without some substance of paper ; and moreover, 

 without this we could not draw out the charge. But 

 I have now remedied all these little inconveniences, by 

 the most simple means ; and, so far from claiming any 

 credit for the plan, I think we were all in the dark not 

 to have thought of it ages ago. Take, for a punt-gun, 



* C should be small enough to go well into the centre-hole, in 

 order to clean it out, if required. On my plan of loading, the little 

 worm B, which will go well into the centre-hole, will be quite suf- 

 ficient to draw out the wadding, or any thing else. The small end 

 of this loading-rod cannot be too light; because, if heavy, it would 

 overpower your hand, and make you spill the powder in filling it : 

 particularly when loading afloat. 



