52 MUZZLE-LOADERS AND BREECH-LOADERS. 



universally carry cartridges loose in their pock- 

 ets. 



" 11. The extra weight incurred in being obliged 

 to carry a sufficient number of cartridges for a day's 

 sport, in a very cumbersome leather case, with iron 

 compartments, considerably exceeds the ordinary 

 weight of powder-flask and shot-pouch, with ammu- 

 nition for a similar amount of sport." 



This may be, if any one is fool enough to use iron 

 compartments ; but in a proper receptacle a leather 

 belt the weight is much less. 



" 12. Another of the principal defects in the 

 breech-loader is the flat surface of the breech, which 

 scientific and practical experimenters have proved to 

 be erroneous, by reason of the much greater power 

 and extra force which may be obtained from the 

 conical interior form of solid breech the rule being 

 that ' force cannot be expended and retained also ; ' 

 and as it must, of necessity, be expended to a certain 

 degree by explosion and recoil on a flat-surfaced 

 breech, extra powder is required to produce like 

 effects to those which result from the solid conical 

 breech. The recoil is also considerably greater on 

 a flat surface than on a tapering one." 



So much of the foregoing as is comprehensible, the 

 tables of the Field trial "and practical experi- 

 menters" have found to be erroneous. It will also 

 be borne in mind that the inside end of the cartridge- 

 case is conical. 



" 13. Joints, joinings, slides, and bolts, are all 

 inferior to a well-made screw, as regards soundness 



