FOREST AND STREAM. 



205 



Mormdian, Keefe und Hopewell.) and a crew from Ihe 

 North end of the city— (Brown, Mullin, Coon, and Graham,) 

 the fui'iiiei' won by about rive leogths. 



—The annual athletic sports of the Toronto Lacrosse 

 Club came off on their grounds, corner of Wollesley and 

 .Tarv is streets, on the 80th, The attendance was not large, 

 but fine weather favored the occasion, and the proceedings 

 passed off very pleasantly. The exercises embraced hurdle 

 and foot racing. 



—The match between Captain Graham's and Captain 

 Herbiu's teams, (10 men each,) filth Halifax Volunteer Bat- 

 talion of Infantry, to? $40 a Side and the championship of 

 the regiment, came oil at Bedford last week, and resulted 

 in a Tjctory for Captain Graham's team by 13 points, the 

 score standing 396 to 383. Ranges 300, 400, 500 and GOO 

 yards, 5 round-; at oaolt, 



—The foot ball match last, week between the Navy and 

 Civilians, clinic off on the Common at Halifax. The game 

 WilS fought out until time was called, without either side 

 winning a goat. The odds, if any, 'were in favor of the 

 Navy, who were composed of heavier metal than their op- 



— The Ontario players won the inter-province foot hall 

 n)fttch in the recent contest with the Montreal Club. 



■*■»■ 



THE MIRIMICHI RIVER. 



K St. JorrN.N. B., October, 1871. 



Editor FoitB8T an-v> stream:— 



In your issue, of the 1st Inst, appeared the letter of a correspondent, 

 giving au account or Ilia visit to the Southwest Mirimichi. From internal 

 evidence I judge thai both the gentlemen forming the party are interest- 

 ed with the lessee, and as much concerned in the protection, of the river 

 Its he is himself. Your correspondent's letter, if true, reveals a moat ex- 

 traordinary -tare of things, and one not at all creditable to the lessee, or 

 to the gentlemen aesod ited with him. 



The object or this letter is plainly to throw blame on tbe fishery offi- 

 cers appointed by tbe Department of Marine and Fisheries to protect the 

 river, and in bis eagerness to do this your correspondent has entirely 

 overlooked tbe fact that a special clause in the lease requires them to 

 keep "private and efficient guardianship on this si ream during the whole 

 season," and t am much obliged to your correspondent for thus inform- 

 ing me- of the manner in which the leasees perform their duties. 



Your correspondent states that bis party "came upon two men with all 

 the appliances for spearing. ' Why was nut a formal complaint, giving 

 numes, date, place and offcnse.made to the local officer, to enable him to 

 punish i in SCAugit in the very act? Or why did there gen- 



tleraeu themselves no: take proper legal steps to punish, these trespass- 

 ers on tli it k:i--".-lin'.d-: Above all, why was the river left "entirely des- 

 titute or protection," so that "spearing aud netting waB going ou every, 

 where," when tbe lessee was specially bonnd by his lease to provide it? 

 Yuiir correspondent's heart may "beat fast, with indignation," but he 

 will probably End it more difficult to give a satisfactory answer to these 

 jii, -t:qus than to make vague and general cornpbiiuls agaiuet fishery of- 

 ficers, which is too much the fashion of unsuccessful anglers. 



I wish now to mention a few facts connected with the Southwest Mir- 

 imichi, which are woll known both to the lessee and your correspondent. 



Previous to the appointment or the present fishery officers, the Sonth- 

 wer-t, in common with all our salmon streams, was almost depleted by 

 illegal lisbtug. *iioco the year 1869, when measures for enforcing the 

 Fisheries Act of 1888 were fairly got into working order, there has been 

 a steady and rapid improvement, year by year, iu that river, as well as in 

 .,11 others. Last, season the catch in the Mirimichi was Ihe best known 

 In twenty previous years, while that just closed was even better, the 

 canning establishments being unable to handle all the flsh daily bronght 

 to thvru, so that they were obliged to salt large quantities or export them 

 In ice. For the last three years the angling in tbe Southwest has stead- 

 ily improved, aud where, a few years 6inco, a week's angling was rarely 

 rewarded by half s dozen salmon and grilse, there has been for the last 

 two seasons splendid sport for all who have visited it In the proper time 

 for fly-fishing, one gentleman having taken in June last nearly one hun- 

 dsedfnll grown fish, while others «•• re nearly as successful in proportion 

 to tbe time spent on the stream. While this improvement hue tiiken 

 place in the Southwest, our other well known streams— the Nepie- 

 -iguit. the Rostigonehe, tbe Metapcdia, and the Cpsalquilch have re- 

 gained all their former renown, and are now quite equal as angling 

 streams lo their most palmy days. The catch in the Neplssiguil. Ihis 

 season was never surpassed, while he must be a greedy angler indeed 

 who asks for better sport than your issue of September 24th describes 

 on the Restigouche and Metapedia. 



With facts like these, patent to all who know nnyth : ng about the past 

 and present state of onr rivers, what sheer nonsense to charge our over- 

 seers and wardens with negligence or connivance with poachers, when 

 there cannot bo the least donbl that this steady aud groat improvement 

 is due' wholly to their exertions in enforcing the law. 



1 have jnst returned from a visit to both branches of the Mirimichi, 

 and although 1 regret to say that much illegal fishing is yet done , which, 

 with our present, help, cannot be wholly detected or prevented, I am 

 gratified to find so great and so undeniable an improvement in a river 

 which a few years since seemed doomed to depletion, and I am only sur- 

 prised that™ much good bus been done with such insufficient means. 

 The duties ot fishing officers are of amoat onerous and unpleasant kind, 

 and 1 know, to my sorrow, bow little support they receive from those 

 who benefit by their exertions. If men like your correspondent "C. S. 

 H." would take some little trouble to assist them, by placing them in a 

 position to prosecute such offenders a? he met on the Southwest, their 

 labors would do lessened. But while such pretentious sportsmen cover 

 up their want of success by the old cry, "Spears and poachers!" and con- 

 tent themsolves by railing at the local officers, lean only regard them as 

 guiltv of tbe worst ingralit tide to the men whose poorly paid labors have 

 suved our rivers from total destruction. 



As the Inspector of Fisheries for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, 1 

 can point with some degree or excusable pride to the great improvement 

 evident in the fisheries or both Provinces, stuce I havo filled the onerous 

 and thankless office: but I reel that to the local overseers and wardens. 

 much more, than to my own efforts, is this gratifying result to be attrib- 

 uted. I am, very respectfully, W. H. Yenninq. 



■•*♦ 



CANADIANS AT CREEDMOOR. 



not being able to see through tbe sights. Several of the Canadians find- 

 ing u was impossible to see the targets, refused to fiuish their scores that 

 night, and therefore were allowed by the Council to shoot them off the 

 next, morning, ir this favor had not been granted, they would have had 

 but little show on the prize list. By inserting this in your next Issue you 

 will oblige A I OKSTA.NT Hkaiiku. 



THE SHELL QUESTION. 



Toronto, Ontario, October 35th, 1*74. 

 Editor Forest anti Stream:— 



I find in your valuable paper a communication from "Shooter," of 

 Hamilton, who seems much grieved at our American Mends comparing 

 the scores iu the Bennett match of the six men who left Canada with 

 each team of the .Viuerlctui and Irish, who shot at the great international 

 match at Creedmoor. I wish to iniorm you that all luft Canada indepen- 

 dent of each other, and not as a team, (though out of courtesy aud com- 

 pliment they are culled a team by our American friends.) The object of 

 pome was to see New York, and Improve their acquaintance with onr 

 friends on the other eida. I wish to say that when n match is settled 

 upon between our good fnends, the Americans, a proper selection should 

 be made on the same hasis as the Wimbledon team. This would include 

 the whole of tbu Dominion of Canada, and not Provincial clnbB. Had 

 this been done when tint challenge was given by Ontario to the Irish 

 team, no doubt it would have been accepted". The cause for some of the 

 scores of the Canadians being below their general average was owing, to 

 a certain extent, to some of them having to finish their shooting in the 

 dirk, as several shots at 1,000 yards were fired from the shoulder, the men 



Editor FomjflT and Stream:— 



I crave your indulgence for permission to further discuss the metal 

 shell question, even though yon say it has been discussed au fond by 

 the London Field, in which I think you are in error; but If you are not, 

 Ha discussion in the Field would present it to but a small number of 

 American sportsmen. 



The principal objection seems to be on the score of safety, and while 

 it might be proper to confine the discussion to that point alone, 1 wish to 

 notice some other objections that have been made, even though they 

 scarcely deserve refutation; yet there are some sportsmen who write 

 very pleasant letters for the papers, and appear to be well posted in mat- 

 ters that pertain to a gun, who suppose that metal shells arc the pair of 

 cylinders sent them by their gun maker reconvert then- gun Into awttafe 

 hade)'. One such case came under my personal observation, and that 

 very intelligent (?) sportsman had been a stout eondemner of metal shells 

 when he actually did not know what they were. If there was one there 

 may be others. You wonld be astonished were I to give you his name, 

 for his shadow ofteu falls across your sanctnm door. Our friend "Check 

 Cord" does not see any reaaon to change his mind abont what hesintes 

 in regard to the difference in diameter of the paper and metal shell, and 

 although it is of email moment, I will state for his benefit that Greener 

 gives the gauge of a 13 paper shell as exactly eleven bore, or .751 of au 

 Inch. A letter from thclj. M. C.Co. gives the diameter of a IS A metal 

 sheilas .773 of an inch. Now the difference between eleven and ten 

 gauge is .034 of au inch. Vcr/nim srgi. The answer to "Check; Cord's" 

 request about boring guns is already in print. 



A correspondent, who writes in such a vein that makes it patent to all 

 that his mind is fully made up about the shell matter, makes some state- 

 ments to which I desire to call attention. His first objection to metal 

 shells is uniformity in shooting, stating that he has made nnmerous ex- 

 periments, &c. I wish to ask If they were not made with a gun that 

 was built without any reference to the use of metal shells. If sneb was 

 the ease— and I have no doubt it was— the experiments were of no use. 

 and did nofprove anything. Again , were the metal shells loaded proper- 

 ly, I wonld like to ask any sportsman why a paper Ehell will give the 

 best shooting? T defy them to givo a valid reason. Is it because the ma- 

 terial of the paper shell is firmer than the metal? Is it because there is 

 less escape of gas? Is it because a wad has to be used in the paper ehell 

 Ihe size of the bore, while in the metal sheila forced wad can be used 

 three times larger than the shell, thus getting more force ont of the same 

 amount of powder? The writer has made nnmerous tests with both kinds 

 of shells, using them in guns built to use either kind of shell, and the re- 

 sult has been in favor of the metal. 



The second point mentioned is the safety of the paper shell, and, I 

 might add, its perfection and snperior qualities. The correspondent 

 states that the "explosion of a paper shell la as harmless as that of a fire- 

 cracker." I quote from the London field to show that the experiences 

 of others do not agree with that of the correspondent. Tbe Field says: 

 "Two or three times it . happened that when fired (Kly'B blue shell) the 

 rim at the base of Ihe cartridge was blown off and the remainder of the 

 case was driven half way up the barrd'of ihe gun, causing a delay of ten 

 minutes to a quarter of an hour each time in ramming ont the empty 

 case." Field, Oct, 11th, 1S73: "A servant of mine was ordered to take 

 a few pin lire cartridges from the. house to the gun room. He dropped 

 one of them on the stone cover of a dead wall; it, explodeo. By the 

 greatest piece of good luck it did not shoot him or the servants who were 

 standing close by. Tho stone on which it fell was blackened, and the 

 brick wall which received the shot was scored off and chipped as if it had 

 been Btrnck and scratched with a garden rake." From another: "Out 

 of evory blx I may say that live burst at the rim, causing, on several oc- 

 casions, painful wounds on my left wrist, by the powder being blown 

 into it. Several times after tiring (we will say the right barrel), on open- 

 ing the breech I round the left cartridge driven up tbe barrel, tbe ptn 

 bent back so that the bummers would not strike it, and the, rim burst, 

 the whole cartridge looking as if it had gone off, aud on one occasion it 

 did go off a second or two after ihe right barrel, before the gun left my 

 shonlder. The cartridge could not be taken out with the extractor, but 1 

 had to open a hole iu the base and shake, Ihe powder out, when I got a 

 corkscrew iu and pulled it out, I may add that my left wrist is beauti- 

 fully tattooed with tbe driven in gunpowder." Another correspondent, 

 iu paper of same date, speaking of cartridges bursting at the base (Ely's 

 best gas light) says: "Two years ago my gun was injured by one of 

 these explosions." From the FiM, October 18th, 1873: "lam happy 

 to give you my experience of a green, gas tight cartridge (Ely's) explo- 

 dingaccidentally. A week or two ago 1 handed my cartridge bag to my 

 brother to carry. In handing me a conple he let one drop on the stone 

 floor; it went off. I was standing about, two yards off. Two shot struck 

 me on the knee, penetrating my trowsere and raising up the skin under- 

 neath. The remainder of the charge, I am happy to say, missed me, and 

 was blown against the, door about five yards off, which it dented consid- 

 erably. Tbe case was blown to atoms, only the brass part remaining,; 

 and that was Bplit, and bout up." 



Ely's best cases are at present metal lined; as faros a usual chargo of 

 powder comes, no doubt they are harmless. The statement that the shot 

 from an exploded metal shell will "go through any body of reasonable 

 thickness. " is rather ambiguous. "That the shell itself will go through 

 any other body that happens to be behind it," needs to be confirmed, for 

 an unsupported statement is not sufficient. 



I would like to ask if Ihe above statements about metal shells arc made 

 in the light ot experience, or are reckless statements, made to frighten 

 some graudinothcreportsman? T havenodoubt that damage would very 

 likely lie done; but 1 must confoss that I have never seen a premature 

 explosion of a metal shell, fand 1 venture to doubt that the gentle- 

 man who portrays so graphically the injury that would be caused has 

 done so either. The argument abont economy is based mostly on the 

 supposed theory of accidental or premature explosions, and fails entire 

 ly, if the reasonable safety of tho metal is trne. The reference to "tink- 

 ling brass" nearly tempts me to say that good sportsmen do not carry 

 their cartridges in their pockets; but there are some good sportsmen 

 who do as well as some who use a muzzle loader. The assertion rust. 

 "In carrying loaded brass Bhebs you are. to all Intents and purposes, 

 carrying an arsenal of loaded pistol barrels, capped, and with no protec- 

 tion over the tube to guard against an accidental blow," is so absurd as 

 to scarcely merit a refutation; but as it is about as correct as some of 

 the other statements, I will make Its absurdity more, apparent . 



A Sturtevant or Berdan primer is below the base of tbe shells, when in 

 position, and in the case of tbe. Berdan tho edges of the cap rest on the 

 bottom of the. cap recess, thereby holding the fulminate away from tho 

 point of the anvil until tbe cap is struck a powerful blow with some 

 pointed instrument. I have taken a Sturtevant shell and driven the eap 

 down with ahammer, and pounded away until I was tired; I have capped 

 one, put throe ouueos of lead in It and dropped it repeatedly a distance 

 of from eight to ten feet, not only ou the floor, but on the brick pave- 

 ment. 1 have thrown it butt foremost against, a solid wall time and 

 again, and have never had an explosion, the cap being so thoroughly pro- 

 tected by the base of tbe shell. Will any sane man say that the same, 

 thing could be done with a pistol barrel with an exposed tube? Is'nt 

 that just a trifle overdraw n I 

 A gentleman who is connected with the U. M. C. C. writes me that 

 'shot shell are no more dangerous than riflo cartridges" (fixed ammuni- 

 tion), and that during the past eight years they have handled tens of 

 millions of them, poured them in and out of boxes as you would pota- 

 toes, shipped them in barrels, and every other conceivable manner, and 

 not one single explosion occurred. I have yet to hear of one premature 



discharge by carrying them about the person, and 1 do not believe the 

 gentlemen who write so alarmingly about them have heard of one either. 

 The statement that Mr. M. H. BUhfCiW "had a shell actld, ntlv go oft 

 and several Of his fingers at LbG B ,,ne time, and Unit he has never used 

 metal shell since," shows ■ lamentable ignorance of the facts in the case, 

 and if the rest of the -taiements. are as far out ol the way as this one 

 thcy are not very reliable. I have a letter before me from the party who 

 EOld Mr. Sanford the gun, slating that the nail and extreme end of one 

 linger was all that was lost, and that Mr. Saurord si 111 uses the same gun 

 that he did then, and mttal nheli/. The gun was made to a Be metal shells 

 exclusively. The writer saw the gnu at the New York Gun Trial, and It 

 was entered as belonging to Mr. Sanfortiaud I have every reason to believe 

 that my information Is correct, The gentleman further states that he 

 has now the identical shell in bis possession, and that it is burst open 

 Would n pistol barrel have burst open under such circumstances? How 

 did Mr. Sanford meet with Ihe accident? He was using an old-fashioned 

 shell (now out of use) with a recess in the rear, using an ordinary tube 

 and cap. The shell was loaded and held In one hand by Mr. S. while he 

 was trying to force on a cap; he thinks by pushing, bystanders say by 

 pounding— a piece of foolhardiness. if I must say it, that admits of no ex 

 cuse, which there is little, doubt Mr. S. himself will not deny. 



I have not seen the exact cause of the accident to Mr. Farrar stated, 

 but a letter from a well known sportsman, which is now before me, states 

 "The accident to Mr. Farrar was through sheer carelessness, as he will 

 tell you himself. " From what 1 have learned from other sources I judge 

 that the same might have happened with u paper shell. 



The correspondent further states that "you have as much trouble to 

 keep the brass shell clean as you wotdd a raozzle loader. " Capt. Bogar- 

 dus states that he "reloads shells one hundred times and does nothing to 

 them but scrape off the dirt .. " 



The writer has used them for years, and knows of his own knowledge 

 that this statement "won't wash." The correspondent dues not know 

 "one good point that can be claimed for the brass shell." Prejudice has 

 probably too much blinded the gentleman to attempt to convince 

 him one good point can be claimed; but many others, if they don'r 

 "shoot with both eyes open," can readily see the good point*, us well aa 

 the good and bad ones In a papor shell. A gentleman shooting ducks a 

 few days since was standing out in a lake, when the ducks were coming 

 in so fast that he coulo not fight them ont. Did he kill any? If one or 

 two, why not more? He was ustug paper shells, and about every olher 

 one. stuck and the extractor slipped post the ehell. and he had to wade 

 ashore to a companion who was shooting a tnuzzle loader to get his ram- 

 rod to punch out his fast cartridge. By the time he got underway 

 again another Bhell would stick. In a short time the ducks had qnlt 

 coming, so the luckless shooter had no ducks, had broken several com- 

 mandments, had threatened to break his gun, had nearly exhausted him- 

 self wading back and forth to get the use of the ramrod, and had become 

 disgusted generallytlall of which would not tlavc happened had he been 

 using metal shells. They wonld have been inserted and extracted with- 

 out trouble. The writer was out shooting a few days since with a gen- 

 tleman who was using paper shells. In fording a stream, a game bag con- 

 taining:!, number of loaded paper shells accidentally got wet, and they 

 were rendered useless, and it was by the merest chance that he had some 

 in another place which did not get wet, or his day's shooting would have 

 been ended before It begnn . Could it have happened with melal shells? 

 No. 1 have a letter at hand from a gentleman, who writes that he "lost 

 out of his skiff at night a couple of metal shells. They laid in the water 

 overnight, but he recovered them the next day, shot them, and they were 

 perfect. Could It have been done with a paper shell? I await an an- 

 swer. The party above referred to as getting his shells wet had Jive miss 

 fires in succession that day, and that, too, where ducks were coming 

 faster than he could load and shoot. 



That metal Bholls are cheaper than paper, that they are waterproof and 

 can be used under circumstances where paper wonld be entirely useless; 

 that they are not subject to any of the faults abovo enumerated as inci- 

 dent to paper shells; that they do as good, or better, shooting than paper 

 shells; thata few of them will answer for a whole season's shooting, 

 where it is impossible to obtain paper shells, and where tbe transporta- 

 tion of them would be difficult, that they need no more cleaning than can 

 be done In a moment with au old knife; that they require less Imple- 

 ments than paper shells (the Sturtevant requiring only a loading stick 

 and wad starter), are facts so well known to all wh« have had any expe- 

 rience in their use that there is no need to reiterate them. Thot they are 

 not liable to premature discharge from being carried about the person, 

 the experience quoted shows. The fact that hundreds and probably thou- 

 sands have carried them without au accident occurring, those that havo 

 occurred and which have been rererrcd to above, happened tinder such 

 circumstances that they do not in the leasl affect the almost perfect, safe- 

 ty of carrying them abont the person. The fact that they and rifle car- 

 tridges have been handled at tbe factory where they have been made for 

 years, and by the tens of millions, and not one single explosion, should 

 be sufficient proof for any unprejudiced person of the safety of carrying 

 loaded metal sheila. Did these same gentlemen who so much. fear metal 

 shells ever take, a thought about the pistol cartridges they carry? There 

 are many sportsmen who have their prejudices, and no amount of proof 

 will convince them of their errors. To all such we freely grant the 

 privilege of keeping to their old ways and old opinions, but tnist they will 

 permit those who chose to keep pace with the world as it goes along, to 

 do so. There arc some old sportsmen who arc so careless that it may be 

 best for them to use paper shells, or perhaps it would be better for them 

 not to use a gnn at all. There are sportsmen who never go shooting un- 

 less the day is pleasant, and never go where they cannot easily procure 

 paper shells when needed, and do not care for tho fifteen to twenty-five 

 dollars per thousand which they cost: for them the paper shell is all that 

 is required. But there are other sportsmen who go fur away from their 

 base of supplies, and who shoot wheu the rain pours down, the spray 

 dashes Into their boat, and everything is dump and wet; and thoro are 

 those whose amount of shooting la largely controlled by the cost of the 

 supplies and the facility of getting them. To all snch the metallic shell 

 is a boon which no amount of condemnation unsupported by evidence 

 will prevent them from naing. 



"God forbid that I should advise one person to use a shell that wonld 

 cause him the loss of life or limb; bnt. I candidly believe that a persou 

 Is moro likely to be struck by lightning than to be injured by carrying 

 either a Berdan or Sturtevant brass shell, loaded, and with which simply 

 ordinary care is taken. It does not do to lay your head on the nmzzle 

 of a loaded gun, and theu fool around the trigger with your too. 



When your correspondent states that "he does not know a good sports- 

 man who either advocates or uses metal shells," andtheu emphasizes it 

 in the next sentence, he drops the tilt of courtesy and makes Ho fa 

 outroma. So he must not be snrprised that plain "United States" lan- 

 guage is used in reply. I quole from a letter before me: The argument 

 of "both eyes open" is too silly to call for a reply. I have traveled 

 among sportsmen for the last six years, and my acquaintance auioug them 

 is to-day more extensivo probably than that of any other man In the 

 United States. And when tue. correspondent states that hedoesDot 

 know of a single good sportsman who either advocates or uses metallic 

 shells, it is positive evidence, to me that be has met but very Tew sports- 

 men, a conclusion with Which very many sportsmen will agree. 



The statement that "the invention of breech loading guns began with 

 metallic shells," needs confirmation; but oven if it were tmeit does not 

 apply to the present case, as these shells are. solid drau'n, while those that 

 have heretofore been used in Europe were simply wrapped. 



I have spun this out to an unreasonable length. I have tried to disenss 

 it fairly, hat e supported my statements with evidence and experiments, 

 and although t have directly derived aud nddnccd the evidence to prove 

 that some of Ihe correspondent's statements wore erroneous, I have en- 



.[ , , , ,i it with a spiritof fairness, except where he evidently 



casts a slur on the advocates of metal shells, aud here he richly deserves 

 the lashing of a ready and trenchant pen. I submit the case without fur- 

 ther argument for fear It may get to be like the "dog war," at the present 

 time prevailing to such an alarming extent. Hhhbhbt, 



