No. 144.] 577 



least two feet. The indention has been tried in small guns, 

 and it does not appear to affect the flight of the ball in the slight- 

 est degree. 



A Mr. Neron exhibited at a recent meeting of the Institute of 

 Civil Engineers at Paris, an ingenious mode of placing detonating 

 caps on the nipple of a rifle or musket. The apparatus consisted 

 of a tube containing twenty-two caps, placed parallel with, and 

 close beside the barrel, being partially inserted in the stock, and 

 so arranged, that whilst the near end was attached by a pin to 

 the hammer, the further extremity was free to travel in a slot 

 Its action was very simple, the tube being fitted with caps from 

 a reservoir, several of which would occupy but a very small 

 space ; the end cover was turned down. On drawing the hammer 

 to half cock, the tube was urged forward until a cap was brought 

 over the nipple, and at full cock the cap was pressed down upon 

 it. After firing, if any portion of the copper remained attached 

 to the cap, it was removed by a small picker preceding the tube, 

 on its being again drawn forward to repeat the operation. 



It was evident, that by this simple and cheap addition to any 

 fire-arm, much time must be saved in loading, and a great waste 

 of caps avoided ; they were kept dry in the reservoir, instead of 

 being exposed to damp, and running the risk of not exploding, as 

 had occurred frequently in action on recent occasions in the Cri- 

 mea. The system was stated to have obtained the approbation of 

 the highest military authorities in France, and with the charac- 

 teristic alacrity of that government, to be already in process of 

 adaptation to the minie rifle, and all kinds of fire-arms now used 

 by the army. Within a very short period it has been laid before 

 the English Institution of Civil Engineers, where it will probably 

 meet with like success. 



Martins' improved gun and cartridge is worthy of mention. It 

 consists in a breech-bolt or slide, which, by drawing the lever 

 forward, is brought back from the breech end of the barrel a suf- 

 ficient distance to allow space in the breech in which to place a 

 ball cartridge. "When the cartridge is placed in this space or 

 chamber through an opening on the right-hand side of the gun, 



[Assembly, No. 144.J K 2 



