MUZZLE-LOADEES AND BREECH-LOADERS. 63 



thousand, unloaded but capped ; or they may be pur- 

 chased at a proportionally higher price loaded, 

 ready for instant use, as they can be transported 

 even across the ocean without material risk. The 

 brown-paper cartridges of Chaudun are also good, 

 but not quite so fine an article as Eley's ; they may 

 be reloaded, however, several times. In carrying 

 the loaded cartridges, it is natural to suppose that 

 there would be danger of their exploding in conse- 

 quence of a sudden jar, and they are generally pack- 

 ed in sawdust to avoid this risk, but experience has 

 proved that the danger is slight ; generally speaking, 

 they cannot be so discharged, and there is but one 

 case reported where it happened ; in this instance, a 

 railway porter in England let fall a large box of them, 

 when a single cartridge exploded, without doing any 

 damage or discharging the others. 



There are, properly speaking, no gun-makers in 

 America ; a few workmen import English locks, 

 stocks, and barrels, and fitting them together, stamp 

 them with their names; but I know of no establish- 

 ment where the smallest portion even of the fowling- 

 piece is manufactured. It is a matter of great diffi- 

 culty to get any good work done, and the simplest 

 repairs are generally bungled in our best shops in a 

 way to disgrace the trade and disgust the owner ; 

 as for having a gun made, we have not advanced 

 the first step towards it, not even having a compul- 

 sory proof-stamp. 



It is hardly necessary to add that breech-loaders 

 must be imported. They and their equipment are 



