THE FOWLTNG-FlKClv, 1 *3 



gunpowder acts in the radii of a circle, and exerts the 

 same force on every part of the circumference of the 

 circle. The conclusion, therefore, to he drawn from 

 this is, that a thin and light harrel, which is perfectly 

 upright, that is, of equal thickness in every part of its 

 circumference, is much less liable to hurst than one 

 which is considerably thicker and heavier; hut which, 

 from being badly filed or bored, is left of unequal 

 strength in its sides. 



The greatest attention should be paid to keeping 

 the barrel perfectly clean. If a harrel be fired only 

 once, it should be well washed with hot water (unless 

 it. is going to be used again in the course of the same 

 day) before it is laid by; a? it will be readily allowed, 

 that, after firing, the harrel will quickly become moist ? 

 and this moisture will speedily communicate a very 

 corrosive rust, occasioned by the evaporation of the 

 salt-petre used in making gunpowder. If a gun 

 should be suffered to rerrilTin without cleaning for 

 any length of time, its inside will suffer much for the 

 reason just assigned; and the using it afterwards will 

 not only be rendered unpleasant, but also dangerous: 

 and I have many strong reasons for believing that a 

 neglect in this particular has frequently been the 

 cause of the barrel bursting. 



The bursting of gun-barrels is no uncommon oc- 

 currence; but it generally happens with ignorant peo- 

 ple, who are in the habit of keeping their guns load- 

 ed for weeks, nay months, together. Nor is it merely 

 confined to keeping them loaded after being fired, 



