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sideration of the principles involved in these changes, which is 
all that we can attempt, may, however, he of interest. 
The substitution of the rifled bore, with the elongated pro- 
jectile, for the smooth or plane cylindrical bore with the spherical 
bullet, may be regarded as the main element. And yet the 
invention of the rifle and elongated shot was not new even in 
1851. To take one instance, Captain Norton had for some 
twenty or thirty years, and others for a longer or shorter 
period, been advocating elongated and expanding projectiles, 
which are now universally adopted for the small-arms of eveiy 
European army, without receiving- the least encouragement. 
This is one of the many examples of inventions, which, coming- 
before the world was ready for, or required them, have fallen 
still-born. Indeed, the mathematician Benjamin Robins, who 
may almost be considered the father of modern gunnery, as far 
back as 1747, published a short work explaining the true use of 
the spiral grooves of the rifle and their great value in insuring 
accuracy, and suggested how advantage might be taken of 
them to enable us to employ elongated (egg-shaped) projectiles 
which would give increased range and accuracy. He concludes 
with the following remarkable prediction : — - 
I shall, therefore, close this paper with predicting that whatever state 
shall thoroughly comprehend the nature and advantage of rifled-barrel pieces, 
and, having facilitated and completed their construction, shall introduce into 
their armies their general use with a dexterity in the management of them, 
they will, by this means, acquire a superiority, which will almost equal 
anything that has been done at any time by the particular excellence of auy 
one kind of arms, and will perhaps fall but little short of the wonderful 
effects which histories relate to have been formerly produced by the first 
inventors of fire-arms. 
His advice was neglected for a hundred years. Might we 
not with safety refer to the Austrians at Solferino, and the 
Chinamen of the Taku forts, for confirmation of the truth of 
his prophecy ? It appears as if the strong impulse which is 
necessary to force on a change had never till lately been called 
into action ; though, at the same time, in the case of large 
guns — heavy ordnance — another cause must be allowed to 
have exercised a certain amount of weight. Without the means 
afforded by the steam-hammer and other modern mechanical 
and manipulative contrivances, it would be impossible to con- 
struct such guns as those of Sir W. Armstrong or Mr. Whit- 
worth, or their ammunition. This, however, does not apply to 
the more simple constructions followed on the Continent, and 
which might have been as effectively employed fifty years ago. 
We will now attempt, though necessarily in a very super- 
ficial manner, to elucidate the reasons for a rifle being- a 
