58 TEAR-BOOK OF FACTS. 



resistance or reaction of the air upon the projectile. He has found, 

 he says, that " in general a cylindrical body terminated anteriorly by 

 a flat cone or by any analogous figure whose surface lies at a very 

 wide angle with the axis of the cylinder, tends to assume the re- 

 quired position when moving through the air, and appears to be in 

 a condition of stable equilibrium when in flight in that position; 

 whereas, if the front of the body be formed in an acutely angled 

 cone or any conoid or other figure whose surface lies in general at a 

 very acute angle with the axis of the body, there is no such tendency 

 to assume the required position, and no stability of equilibrium in 



that position By this invention I am," he says, "enabled 



to construct projectiles of Forms suitable for shot, common carcase 

 or shrapnel shells, bullets for small arms, or rockets, and which 

 forms have this property, that the resistance of the air acting in 

 lines perpendicular to the surface on which it strikes, such lines will 

 for the most part be nearly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the 

 projectile, or else will meet the line of the axis in points whicli lie 

 behind the centre of gravity of the mass, that is to say, further from 

 the apex of the projectile, and the result of this is, that if the pro- 

 jectile should happen to deviate from its correct position so that its 

 axis no longer coincides with its line of flight, the resistance of the 

 air will tend to restore the projectile to its correct position instead 

 of tending to increase the deviation, as is the case with elongated 

 projectiles of the ordinary forms." For details, with illustrations, 

 see Mechanics Magazine, May 18, 1860. 



WILSON >S BREECH-LOADER. 



In adopting a Breech-loader for military purposes, the utmost 

 caution is required in making the selection. Now, there are a con- 

 siderable number of breech-loaders before the public, and most of 

 them distinguished for great ingenuity and variety in their combina- 

 tions and arrangements. A new weapon of this kind, appearing to 

 possess the real and substantial requisites of an effective military 

 rifle, has been invented and patented by Mr. Thomas Wilson, of 

 Birmingham. The extreme simplicity of its construction, combined 

 with its unquestionable strength and safety of action, point it out as 

 a gun pre-eminently adapted for military panoses. There are 

 several other breech-loaders which have recently attracted much 

 attention ; but most of them are quite unequal to the wear and 

 tear of military use, and an-, moreover, encumbered with levers, 

 joints, and screws, whieh of all things are the most objectionable in 

 a military arm, being constantly liable to entanglement with the 

 accoutrements of the soldier, and almost certain to get strained or de- 

 ranged in use, or by the slightest accident. A military breech-loader, 

 to be of real use, should be of the simplest OOnsLruoliOD, and entirely 

 free from joints, levers, BOrewS, and, in foot, everything whieh requires 

 nice adjustment and careful and delicate handling. It is precisely 

 on these grounds that we express ourselves strongly in favour of Mr. 

 Wilson's breech loader, whieh is open to none of these objections. 

 It requires no adjusting or delicate handling in use, is in no way 



