The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-02

correspondent of London paper, in letter
dated at Woolwich, September TO- gives the follow
ing account of trial of firearms, of different pat
terms, one of which was the American revolver OF
Mr. Colt:
Lieutenant General Sir Thomas bowman,
Major General Fox, Colonel Dundas, Lieutenant
Colonel Chalmer, Assistant Director General of
Artillery; Lieutenant Colonel Burn, Capt. Wing
field, and Capt. Anderson, Royal Artillery; Brigade
Major Walpole, Royal Engineers; Capt. Fox, Of the
Grenadier Guards; Capt. March, and several other
officers; Mr.. Lawrence, jr, son of the American
Minister; Mr.. 5. Colt, of revolver celebrity; Mr.
Adams, who submitted another kind of revolver !;
and MIR. Sears, inventor Of the needle-gun; Mr.
Lowell, the armorer in charge of the stores at the
Tower, and several scientific gentlemen attended
at the butt in the royal arsenal, at haf-past ten
O'Clock to day, to witness experiments with Mr..
Cot's and Mr.. Adams g revolvers, and Mr.. Sears's
needle guns and carbnes
"The experiments commenced, at III o'clock
with Mr.. Colts revolving pistols, at fifty yards
range, and the practice was very good, in several
instances the whole of the six balls striking the
target, which about six feet square. Mr.
Adams then tried his revolving pistol, which differs
from Mr. Colts in having ramrod, the balls
which were all of concal shape, being merely
placed in the revolving rcceptacles with the thumb,
and the percussion caps placed in their proper posi-
ton for firing by a spring feeder, with the least
trouble imaginable. When Mr.. Colts six charges
fred the cock of the pistol is drawn back by the
thumb on each firing, but the action is different in
MIR. Adams's invention; the works which discharge
the percussion caps do not have any outside projec
ton, and yet capable of causing the firing TO be
very rapid in succession, and the reports very
sharp, as II the balls had been projected with great
velocityA Mr. Colt used both spherical and concal
shot, but all those used by Mr. Adams were conf
cal, and wadded with an elastic material glued to
the ball.
"Almost Immediately after the firing of the re-
volvng pistols was completed, at one o'clock D. M
the twentieth company of the Royal Sappers and
Miners arrived at the place of embarkation and
Major General Fox, Mr.. Colt, and the other gen
temcn present, went to the spot, and MIR. Colt in
a very handsome manner, with the consent of
the major general, presented Lieutenant Ray, in
charge of the company of Royal Sappers and
Miners, with one of his revolving pistols. On the
return OF the officers and gentlemen from witness
ing, the embarkation of the Sappers and Miners
the rifle stand was removed from fifty to two hun
dred yards range, and the experiment commenced
with Mr.. Searss needle gun. The ball, ounce
in weight, used in Mr.. Sears's gun, is of a conf
cal shape, and tho charge, 3, drains of pow.
der, with small quantity of igniting compo-
sition, Is made up in similar manner to
ball-eartridge, and is placed in it's firing position
With the greatest case. the loading being at the
breech OF the gun, and consequently no ramrod is
required. When the charged placed in the cham
Der sliding cover is pushed forward, which so
effectualy prevents the smallest portion of the
powder escaping, that greater range 10 obtained
with comparatively smaller charge than can be
obtained by any other means yet tried, and the
VI pIOJcCuNB lDaIeTlals ID 30 COM
plete that apparently hundreds Of rounds may be
fired without materially soiling the interior Of the
BARREL or rendering necessary TO cleanse it. The
perfect nature Of the combustion was repeatedly
tested by placing clean white paper over the part
where the charge was inserted and IL was invaria-
bly, exhibited clean and free from stain as it was
when applied.
1.-The next gun experimental with was one Of
the present service gun barrels, fitted with Mr..
Searss invention, in which the charge and ball are
inserted in one cartridge under the gun, and the
firing took place at 400 yards range to show it's ca
pabilities when fitted with MIR. Sears's invention.
The hiring with both guns, and with carbine car
rying ball OF one ounce in weight, with charge
Of II drains of powder, (about half the usual SER
vice charge,) was remarkably good The firing
was not confined TO MIR. Sears-Colonel Dundas,
Brigade Major Walpolc, Mr. Lowell, Mr.. w. II.
Gordon, sergeant, and three gunners of the royal
artillery, repeatedly firing from each Of the pieces
and with excellent effect There were / 35 rounds
fired from the two muskets and so from the carbine
several times in rapid succession the pieces being
capable Of firing 20 rounds in two minutes and vet
there was no appearance Of any Of the parts heat
ing or getting the least out Of order during the
whole time Of trial.