50 MUZZLE-LOABEES AND BREECH-LOADERS. 



the comparatiyely excessive escape of gas at the cone 

 arid vent of a muzzle-loader endanger its safety ? and 

 will the " trying vibration " of one cartridge affect 

 the strength of another not in the barrel at the time ? 



" 7. The time and trouble required in filling the 

 cartridges, and the danger attending that operation 

 before going ont shooting, are very considerable ; 

 and it is with one peculiar form of cartridge only 

 that the breech-loader can be used; and if purchased 

 of the gun-maker ready filled, they come very expen- 

 sive." 



This paragraph is unanswerable ; as no source of 

 danger in loading the cartridges is specified, the wri- 

 ter is at a loss to know what is meant — there being, in 

 his experience, no danger whatever. As for the 

 trouble, it is far less than that of loading the gun. 



" 8. The operation of malcing and filling the car- 

 tridge is to a sportsman a tedious, dirty, dangerous, 

 and laborious one — quite as much so as making fire- 

 works." 



This mny be true of making the cartridges, which 

 no sportsman ever thinks of doing more than he 

 would of making percussion-caps, which is a far 

 more dangerous employment. The filling them is 

 identically the same as loading a gun, omitting cap- 

 ping, but without its dirt or danger. If loading a 

 gun is akin to making fireworks, so may be loading 

 cartridges. In fact, using cartridges is merely load- 

 ing at a convenient season expeditiously, and may 

 be done to the extent of thousands without soiling 

 the hands. 



