406 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



CANNON. 



Notwithstanding the reputed antiquity of cannon, they were 

 little known iu England before the fourteenth century, and 

 were first employed as an engine of war by Edward III, At 

 this early period of their introduction into military service, they 

 were of rude construction and cumbersome proportions, and so 

 continued with little or no improvement till the reign of Henry 

 VIII. This Monarch soon undertook the manufacture of ord- 

 nance, which was continued with spirit and energy by his 

 persevering successor, Queen Elizabeth, and, during her reign, 

 vast improvements were made in their construction. The 

 "hand-goune" was next invented, an instrument sufficiently 

 rude in its construction when compared with the guns of the 

 present day; but still, as a first effort in this branch of manu- 

 facture, was a very serviceable weapon of attack as well as de- 

 fence. This "goune" w^as made light enough to be carried about 

 by one person, and was fired by the application of a match. 



The stocked gun was the next improvement, which also was 

 fired by the application of a lighted match to the priming, either 

 through the medium of a match-lock or the direct interposition 

 of the hand. 



The "wheel-lock" was the next invention, and approximated 

 closely in principle if not in construction to the flint-lock of the- 

 present day, a spark of fire being produced and communicated 

 to the priming by the friction of a notched wheel passing rapidly 

 over the edge of a flint stone. The flintdock of the present 

 day was the next step in order, and the percussion-lock, in its 

 approved form, was the last and best of all. 



THE GUN AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS. 



The gun being the principal instrument by means of which 

 the Sportsman destroys his game, it seems proper that it should 

 now claim our particular attention, as the proper knowledge of 

 its parts and uses, as well as its perfections and imperfections 

 should be thoroughly understood by the tyro before entering 

 upon the sports of the field. Without imparting this informa- 



