Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-06-26

sixteen hundred yards. On recent occasion of
trial of Birmingham rifles, on common few
miles off, bit of wood, seven inches in diameter
painted white, was placed against a bank ard
was perforated by five balls in eight, al dis
lance of eight hundred yards. This looks like
showing what we are about; and it looks very
| llttle Ike the musket execution we have been
satisfied with hitherto. 1t is no wonder that
muskets are sent in large numbers to be rihed aft
birmingham; and that the newspapers are teen.
ing with letters on the subject of the two wea.
pons. we peeped into a variety of barrels ad-
m1rlng the smoothness of all, and perceiying how
the groove of the rifle twists round in clIrions
perspective more curious in the case of two
grooves, perhaps, than of many.
men we turn to the pistols. The most ordi
nay pair COSTS SIX shlllings; and it is probably
hucn the same sort of harmless affair that suv
lads brandish when they shoot at Queens in the
streets-.plstois that make novces shudder but
are not likely ever TO kill any body From this
price, we saw pistols of various denities, mount
ing up to twelve guineas or twice twelve ri:;nfas
II lniao extensively with silver, adorned with en-
CRAVING. gentleman may contrive to spepd
great deal of money on firearms, if he will or
uef ornament enough; and we could understand
Tue temptation, the engraving is so beautiful -
Every bit OF metal left visible, except the barrel
oears ehsfavi!isn in the most expensive pistols
and towllng-pieces. Not only gracef,1 obae,,as
| but figures of game, wild beasts bnta,.- 80
are beautifully executed by men who make from.
-FOUR TO hVe hundred pounds a-year by their art.
That is, three guineas a-week as wages. and on.
prentlce-fees to large amount The lowest
oroer OF engravers earn about fifteen shl;Dgs g
Weeh. ohe oltte landscape, engraved or small
steel plate OF towling- piece, was admirable fer
spirit and finish-a tiger in a jungle, watching
the approach of an elephant, bearing bordab,
with two men in it. The designer and epprayer
OF this is one of the artists who are MAKING
ma income by their skill. They are so
lar from trying to concentrate gas-ligbt in water
bottles, they find gas-light too Strong, and worI,
by the light of candle sheltered from flrauahts
1nere IS q foreign gun on the premises which
might excite the emulation of the most skiIf;I
Nobody knows where it comes from There is a
tradition OF its being Persian; but this can hard
~ be true, the owners think It is inlad witt, ivory
wherever the wood can be made to admit the iyo-
ry and the arabesque patterns are beautiful
Inc carving along the upper ridge of the barrel,
is the wonder, however it could not be exceUed
we were told, anywhere at this day.
Among the pistols, saw Colts revolver.
ana we compared it with the best English reyoIr
yer. The advantage of Colts over the Eptlisl,
is, that the user can tuke sight ans the disaI-
vantage 49, that the weapon requires both hands
Ihe American one has one barrel with n .evoiv
ing chamber behind it, that does not interfere
with the eye. The English consists Of SIX (or
ieWer) barrels, which revolve In the act of shoot
ing so that the ball issues, not from the pnnar
most barrel, but the next. Thus, if the user
could take sight (Which he cannot,J the ball
would battle his aim, by coming out on one side
But then the advantage Is great--for instance to
an Irish land agent on horseback, or to a farmer
riding or driving home, and attacked by footpads
to have the left hand at liberty fer bride or
rein, while the enemy is near enough TO demand
40 very nice aim.
IL was amusing to observe, in this manufacto-
~ now small proportion of warlike IDEAS was
involved in the discussion of weapons We are
.old that the parts made on the premises were
those of the best guns the locks and other fur
allure of "the rest" were made elsewhere aud
principally IN villages round Birmingham. We
ound that s'the best meant fowling pieces, aud
the rest, weapons Of war. This is natural
enough. Ihe purchaser Of gun thinks more of
precision OF ann In hitting pheasant than in 60
ng out against Sikhs and Kaffirs or he has done
80 TILL now, when we hear, sudden, so very
much OF the rifle practice and skill of the French
soldier and the Kafir skulker. We were in
deed, shown some duelling pistols; and in
structed In the mild and prudent law of honor
oy which pistols with the hair-rigger, and on full
cock, are decreed as the only admissible weapons,
because they are pretty certain to go off before
the duelllst can take aim especially if they are
to ire together. And, to be sure, they do pop
OFT so easily, that they shall certainly be our
weapon when we next 60 out-so very little Wig
or is necessary for the discharge, and SO strong is
the probability that we SHALL escape hitting any
turer, we turn with relish to the weapons which
are not made for manslaughter, in any form.
Here is walking-stick 1t looks heavy Let
us feel it. Heavy indeed What does it mean !?
It is walking-s stick which is in high favor with
the anglers, who have good opportunity for fowl
ing. You seldom see an angler who has not
passion for remarkable BIRDS This stick is a
disguised towng- piece, which can lie, loaded, on
the bank beside the basket and be caught up in
moment if waterfowl appear among the sedges,
Or any rare wading bird is seen carrying On III
val fishing in the stream. The piece is also curv-
ed little towards the stock end so as to be con-
venent for carrying the basket. Then, there is
a 'swhip-gun,' the handle of which is gun
And there is plantation gun," for the detec-
ton OF poachers; not for their destruction, for
the law no longer allows it; but just to show
where they are. 1t is somewhat like little steel
rams pipe, with four holes. A spring is set: on
string being touched the spring snaps, and up
goes blue rocket or decorating ball. or both.
Inc English have lately been pointed out as we'll
lifted for self-defence by their sporting and
poaching habits; and such spectacle as this
room, with its cases of sporting weapons, makes
fancy that the English have not been untruly
Leaving the armoury, we go over the premises,
on either side of the yard where the target is
placed, atfording an aim of forty-tive yards. We
see processes which we need not describe in de-
tail, as the hardening and tempering of steel, and
the grlnolng, ponshlng, and engraving OF metal
are much alike, in whatever mandatory they
are seen. 1t will answer better purpose to
show what goes to the making of gun. We
saw, in the proprietors' books that when an order
for arms arrives, twenty-four items of manu-
facure have to be attended to, involving thirty
two trades at least. A brief glance at these will
give the best idea of the process.
l. The barrel, of which we have said quite
enough, except that the managing of the iron
and the Welding are separate trades.
2 The locks. Locks, varying in cost from