the size is not of so much consequence for killing game, as the necessary substance to prevent the recoil of a large bore cannot be brought to bear so quick as a somewhat lighter gun; and, therefore, what is gained by weight of metal might be lost in time.

The only London barrel-maker, or forger, was the late Mr. William Fullerd; but, as I before observed, he is dead, and all the concern is entirely at an end.

Mr. Lancaster no longer serves the trade in barrels, now that he is established as a gunmaker. But Henry Godsall, who worked nine years for him and eight for Joe Manton, has established himself as barrel-filer and finisher, at 86, Oxford Street, where he showed me some of his improvements for making more perfect the screws of breechings, and putting well together the barrels of double guns. On his plan, however badly the barrels may be filed outside, they must be mathematically true in the position of their cylinders. And he has lately brought out a new bench for rifling barrels. The other celebrated barrel-filers are Mr. Evans, 18, Wells Mews, whom Long prefers to all others; and Mr. Parkins, Mead's Court, Wardour Street. These take the title of "barrel-makers." But it is not so, as all the barrels are forged in the country, now that the great Fullerd is no more.

But to return to Mr. Lancaster-he receives his barrels in the rough, from Birmingham; and then uses a self-acting machine for turning the outsides of them from end to end, and producing, mathematically true, the proper shape and curve from the muzzle to the breeching. This apparatus has cost him immense pains and expense, and is, no question, the best invention that has ever been adopted; as regular shooting must, in a great degree, depend on the regular thickness and regular tapering of the barrel. Mr. Lancaster, in 1838, adopted a new plan for the finish of barrel-boring, by which he can make any number of guns to shoot nearly alike; and with which he now challenges the whole world. There can be no question as to its good effect; and as it is the last thing I should have thought of, it may perhaps be difficult for others to discover. While only known as a barrelfinisher, Mr. Lancaster was in the habit of " ribbing," "breeching," and putting together the barrels; then "boring" them for

shooting; and, in short, completing them for the field, all but the browning and engraving.

There are very few gunmakers who are well versed in putting their barrels together. For instance, barrels of 2 feet 10, require to be somewhat differently set from those of 2 feet 8, and also require more elevation. The recoil of all double guns makes each barrel swerve outwards in firing; and, in order to counteract this, each barrel must be set rather inwards, insomuch that if the gun were fixed in a vice, the left barrel ought to shoot a little too much to the right, and vice vèrsâ. Then take the gun out of the vice, and fire each barrel from the shoulder, and the swerve or kick would just bring the centre of the shot into the bull's eye. There is not one maker in fifty who knows much about this; but the masters get out of many difficulties by deputing some clever fellow to do all the essentials for them; otherwise, what would their guns be worth?

DAMASCUS BARRELS.

Most sportsmen are aware, that a twisted barrel is formed by horse nails, or other tough iron, being beat out to a long bar, and then twisted round a kind of anvil, much in the same manner as leather is put round the handle of a whip-crop. The Damascus is a mixture of iron and steel, and has its grain directly crossways when beat out; so that the bar of Damascus, when twisted, forms a continuation of small grains running longitudinally, which must be more liable to open, if not to burst, than a continued round of solid well-beat iron. It may be compared to a piece of wood cut across, instead of with the grain. All this may be easily demonstrated, by putting some acid to eat away the iron. I should not have ventured to pronounce my feeble judgment on a point of this kind, was it not that I am of the same opinion as the late Mr. Joseph Manton, and some other first-rate gunmakers.

Formerly the Birmingham proof-masters would prove a barrel in the rough, when it might stand very well: but after being filed and finished, it became so reduced, as frequently to fly all to

pieces with the common charge. Now, however, they refuse to prove a barrel till after this reduction of the metal has been completed, and consequently the Birminghain barrels are much more to be depended on than they were. Formerly the rogues got all the rubbish proved at Birmingham, and sent the good barrels for the London proof-mark: but now both proofs are alike. This is a sad blow to the London trade. In reply to a letter of inquiry that I sent to Mr. Westley Richards, he says, "The barrels at our proof-house are proved singly or together, as the parties desire. I prove mine singly, as this is a greater trial to a barrel."

Westley Richards told me, in 1828, that, for a small barrel, you should go to the Birmingham forgers; but that, for a large one, Fullerd could beat them. Joe Manton also made the same observation. This was just the reverse of what I then supposed.

All shooting articles in Birmingham are usually sold, or, to use the term of trade, "put in," by the dozen, at a mere nothing in comparison with the retail price. Many of the gunmakers are here supplied with all kinds of turnscrews, brushes, tools, &c. Here are sold also fishing-rods, reels, and almost every thing that can be required in the sporting way, at about one-fifth of the price that you pay in London.

For further information on the manufacture of barrels and guns in general, I refer my readers to a clever book called "The Gun," by Mr. Greener, who is, or was, a gunmaker at Newcastle. But for a history of, and all experiments in, ancient and modern gunnery, there is no work in existence that contains so much information, in one small volume, as a book called "Engines of War," by Mr. Henry Wilkinson, M. R. A. S., who, as we all know, is by far the most scientific mechanic among the gunmakers, and, I may add, one of the best-educated men of the present day.

ELEVATION.

As a proof of my original argument in favour of Joe Manton's elevation, my readers need only observe how universal it has now become with every gunmaker in, and even out of, the king

dom. It would therefore be a waste of time to reprint my former arguments in support of it, particularly as I may substitute, in place of them, something new on the subject.

By further discoveries, I have pretty well proved that all of us sportsmen, the whole trade, and even Joe himself, have been somewhat in the dark about the precise degree for this elevation; and this is perhaps the reason why many quacks have fancied that short guns will kill the furthest. They talk nonsense; but still the short guns have often shown off best in the field. Why is it because the gunmakers regulate their elevations to shoot well to the bull's eye; whereas they ought to shoot above the bull's eye; and the longer the gun, the higher must be the eleva tion! Let this be placarded as a golden rule for every sportsman and every gunmaker in the kingdom.

N. B.-To try not only the elevation, but more particularly the putting together of your barrels, and the casting off of your stock, fire at a stump, or any other object, in smooth water; because you may fill a quire of paper with shot, without the body of the charge going 'precisely to the centre. But water will demonstrate every thing, if you are attended by competent persons to take observation.

If the body of the charge goes to the same wrong point several times in succession, you may conclude that there is something about the gun not quite right. But you may shoot at paper, away from water, for seven years, and not be able to find this out so well. Give me quires of paper to try the strength and closeness, but a stump, or cork, in still water, to try the accurate shooting of a gun. It need scarcely be observed that there should not be a breath of wind when you do this. The water should be like a mirror. No better time than one of those fine butterfly-days that usually follow a night's pinching white frost; and which, by the way, are almost always the prelude to miserably wet weather.

I have, by the foregoing plan, found out many a gunmaker's blunder; and I am therefore serving all who know their trade by publishing it, because, it may be the means of proving firstrate from inferior work in the most essential parts of gunmaking.

THE SIGHT

Is little used, except for beginners, and slow poking shots, who daudle their guns after a bird for ten or fifteen yards; and therefore the less it is the better: one scarcely bigger than a pin's head will be more out of the way if not wanted; and for those who require it, the smaller it is the more readily it will help them to the centre.

THE RAMROD,

Which has a worm, on the same principle as the solid corkscrew, is the best to take hold of all kinds of wadding, and admits of a brass cap as well as any. The one made like a screw, after a little wear, is of scarcely any more use than the end of a stick, and the common worm is apt to flatten and become troublesome.

Many young sportsmen have been puzzled by shot falling into the barrel, when the ramrod was there; but if, instead of trying to pull it out by force, they would turn the gun upside down, and press the ramrod into the barrel, the shot would immediately become disengaged, and fall out.

Some of the old school, who still keep to the use of paper, have been obliged to leave the field from having wedged in the ramrod, through a neglect to disengage it in time from this sort of wadding. In such a case, I conceive, that putting oil, or something wet, into the barrel, and softening the paper, by using a little friction, with the ramrod, would, most probably, disengage it; and, by holding the gun with the muzzle downwards, after the paper had sufficiently absorbed the moisture, the shooter would have less risk of wetting his powder.

[1844. Let all ramrods, from the present date, be made stouter; and sportsmen will load with double facility. This is against trade: but never mind that.]