the Force of Fired Gunpowder. 161 



it would, in my opinion, be to set fire to the charge of 

 powder by shooting (through a small opening) the flame 

 of a smaller charge into the midst of it. 



I contrived an instrument on this principle for firing 

 cannon, several years ago, and it was found on repeated 

 trials to be useful, convenient in practice, and not 

 liable to accidents. It likewise supersedes the necessity 

 of using priming, vent tubes, port-fires, and 

 matches ; and on that account I imagined it might be 

 of use in the British navy. Whether it has been found 

 to be so or not I have not heard. 



Another infallible method of increasing very consider- 

 ably the effect of gunpowder in fire-arms of all sorts 

 and dimensions would be to cause the bullet to fit the 

 bore exactly, or without windage, in that part of the bore^, 

 at least) where the bullet rests on the charge ; for when 

 the bullet does not completely close the opening of the 

 chamber, not only much of the elastic fluid generated in 

 the first moment of the combustion of the charge 

 escapes by the sides of the bullet, but, what is of still 

 greater importance, a considerable part of the uncon- 

 sumed powder is blown out of the chamber along with 

 it, in a state of actual combustion, and, getting before 

 the bullet, continues to burn on as it passes through the 

 whole length of the bore, by which the motion of the 

 bullet is much impeded. 



The loss of force which arises from this cause is, in 

 some cases, almost incredible; and it is by no means 

 difficult to contrive matters so as to render it very ap- 

 parent, and also to prevent it. 



If a common horse-pistol be fired with a loose ball, 

 and so small a charge of powder that the ball shall not 

 be able to penetrate a deal board so deep as to stick in 



VOL. I. II 



