THE FOWLING-PIECE. Ijl 



powder), so that a space is left between the powder 

 and shot, there will be great risk of its bursting on its 

 being discharged. Should the space be very small, 

 and the shot lay so as to leave a small windage (that 

 is, admit a small quantity of air to pass), the barrel 

 will most likely remain whole ; but supposing, for 

 instance, a bullet, instead of shot, which exactly fits 

 the bore, this accident will most certainly ensue. 

 Mr. Robins, speaking on this subject, says, " a mo- 

 derate charge of powder, when it has expanded itself 

 through the vacant space and reaches the ball, will, 

 by the velocity each part has acquired, accumulate 

 itself behind the ball, and thereby be condensed pro^ 

 digiously ; whence, if the barrel be not of an extra- 

 ordinary strength in that part, it must infallibly 

 burst. The truth of this I have experienced in a 

 very good Tower musket, forged of very tough iron ; 

 for, charging it with twelve penny-weights of powder, 

 and placing the ball sixteen inches from the breech, 

 on the firing of it, the part of the barrel just behind 

 the bullet was swelled out to double its diameter, like 

 a blown bladder, and two large pieces, of two inches 

 long, were burst out of it." A much less space, 

 however, than sixteen inches is sufficient to produce 

 this effect; indeed a very trifling one, I am per- 

 suaded, would cause the barrel to burst; but the 

 greater the space, the more certain the barrel is of 

 bursting. 



This accident may take place from the mouth of 

 the piece being filled with earth or snow, which some* 



i 2 



