GUNSMITHS. 415 



In Philadelpliia, we also have several respectable Gunmakers 

 entitled to notice. All of these mechanics are about on a par 

 with those of New York, although they claim for themselves a 

 superiority over those of the latter city; with what truth, how- 

 ever, we know not, as their work all seems about the same in 

 appearance and quality, and their guns, we are satisfied, shoot 

 no further or stronger, so far as we are able to judge. In what 

 their superiority consists, we are at a loss to say, except it be in 

 the fact that they turn out work at a much less cost than they 

 do in New York, which, of course, is some recommendation to 

 every one, provided it is equally good ; and this one circum- 

 stance is perhaps sufficient to account for the many orders that 

 the Philadelphia Gunsmiths receive from New York Sportsmen. 



We have handled many fine guns, fresh from the hands of 

 the Gunmakers of our city, and no doubt there are many per- 

 sons ready to say they have seen as many bad ones. In this 

 particular, the respectable mechanics of America differ from 

 those of England. With us, they turn out good, bad, and in- 

 different work every day, calculated to suit the requirements of 

 trade, or rather the tastes and purses of their customers ; whereas 

 those of the old country — we mean those of some reputation — 

 have but one style of doing business, and that is, all that comes 

 from their shops is as perfect as it can be made, and the sending 

 forth of one bad piece of workmanship would not unfrequently 

 be attended with heavy loss, if not perhaps professional ruin. 

 In matters of sporting, the English are extremely particular, 

 and consequently are less disposed to forgive or forget a piece 

 of negligence on the part of a Gunsmith than any other me- 

 chanic, as such negligence or slighting of work is often attended 

 with serious results, in the maiming or perhaps untimely death 

 of some one of their number, perhaps from among a large circle of 

 influential Sporting friends, whose patronage alone is sufficient 

 to make a fortune, at all events quite strong enough to create 

 or thwart the professional reputation of any Gunsmith in the 

 country, whose character as a mechanic is not already well 

 and deservedly established. 



