COUKSIN'G, ETC. 213 



quantity of powder with a view to the shot 

 being thereby thrown farther, as by so doing 

 the increase of the range will be very trifling, 

 whilst the dispersion of the shot will be 

 greatly increased ; the only expedient, in this 

 case, is to use shot of a larger size ; the quan- 

 tity of it and the powder being kept the same 

 as has been found best to suit the piece. 



I have at different times compared barrels 

 of all the intermediate lengths between thirty- 

 four and forty inches, of nearly the same 

 caliber, viz. from five-eighths to five -eighths 

 and a half, and these were fired from the 

 shoulder, and over a rest quite firm, at an 

 equal distance, and with equal weight of 

 powder and the same of shot ; to avoid 

 every error, the quire of paper at which I 

 fired was fixed against planks of wood; from 

 these trials, frequently repeated, I found the 

 shot pierced an equal number of sheets, 

 whether it was fired from a barrel thirty-four, 

 thirty-six, thirty-eight, or forty inches ia 

 length; 



