No. 129.] 81 



FIRE ARMS. 



In this department of meclianism, the contributions at our last 

 Fair were more numerous than usual ; the display of ingenuity 

 and workmanship was extremely interesting, and the competition 

 spirited. We are much obliged to our judges for the time and 

 attention bestowed by them in their examinations. 



The construction and improvement of fire arms has undoubt- 

 edly attracted the attention of ingenious men from the period of 

 the invention of gun powder to the present time. The earliest 

 form of the musket, which was fired with a lighted match, and 

 must have been exceedingly clumsy, after a period of more than 

 three hundred years, has succeeded to the light and elegantly 

 finished musket, with the percussion lock of the present day, 

 through a series of improvements which have been from time to 

 time adopted. During this period the rifle has been introduced, 

 claiming advantages over the musket for greater accuracy and 

 range ; but not suited for the general purposes of infantry on 

 account of its greater weight and want of celerity in loading. 

 This led to the invention of the revolving breech, in which there 

 are six charges which may be fired in the most rapid succession, 

 and is probably the greatest improvement thus far obtained. 

 However, after the six charges are fired, considerable time is 

 consumed in replacing them, and this might prove variously 

 disadvantageous. This leads to a desire for some method by 

 which the great celerity for six discharges, obtained by the 

 revolver, may be made continuous. So that of late we have had 

 presented to us a variety of inventions by which the arm may 

 receive its charges in rapid succession at the breech. 



In regard to these improvements, however feasible and perfect 

 they may appear upon slight examination and trial, it would be 

 exceedingly improper to adopt them, for military purposes par- 

 ticularly, but upon the most careful experiments and use in the 

 hands of the soldier a sufficient length of time fully to test their 

 qualities. Of the arms exhibited we shall nMice two specimens. 



[Assembly, No. 12 9. j 6 



