Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-03-19
A GLANCE at the s1lstory of Fire-arms.

L
East ameng whom iOost of the arts originated
were probably acquainted with its properties long
before they were known 10 Europe. BarthOns
Schwarz is generally thought to have discov-
cred the secret of It's manufacture, and introduced
il throughout Europe in about the year 320.-
The honor Of the invention is also attributed TO a
monk named Constantine Anelzen, and by others
to Roger Bacon. The explosive fcrces Of this
simple combination of inter. sulphur and charcoal
once being fully understood, it was soon applied
to the purposes of war, and we hear of cannon
having been used by the Moors as early as the
wear I342. at the siege Of Algesir&s, ana also by
the English in 1916, at the battle of Cressy.
The first expermenis in the manufalure of can
non naturally resulted in the production of awk
ward and unwieldly Instruments. They were Of
enormous size. often throwing balls of one hun
dred pounds weight, aad conld only be dragged
I belore the walls OF jeseged town III q very
great expense Of money aad labor. After while
some fertile Imagination conceived the idea OF
lessenng the bulk o ,na wonderful engine So as
to apply it as q weapon CIR The hand and 10 i 304
| FIVE hundred snaN ,aarniS, ct span only In
length. were manatss pySS in an Italian town.
These were found Ia * inoonveniea, however,
and soon thej barrels were heightened. and the
old fashioned arquebus began 10 be used through
out Europe and substituted Tor the crossbow, which
until then, had maintained an nnquesilnnable
superiority. The arquebus was al first short.
thick. and very heavy. carrying four ounce ball,
and fired by match IN The hand. Ia The fifteenth
century cock or dragon was attached 10 the
right side of the barrel, between the lips @! which
the burning match was fixed and by means o
trigger and spring, pressed upon the pdmlng.-
The operation OF loading and firing with SO heavy
an instrument was necessarily very slow, not
withs.anding each arguebns was attended by
shield bearer, behind whose shield he took shelter
during battle.
Toward the latter part Of The fifteenth century
the cavalry were gradually provided with fire
arms, the French being aTong~the first to INTRO
duce mounted marksmen armed with pieces two
and a half feet long. Fire arms had by this time
come to be regarded as aoS terrible weapon,
and much attention was devoted TO the subject Of
Improving them. In l5l7, tie wheel lock was
invented by mechanic of Nuremburg. This
was simple conlriyance, consisting Of a small
sharply noched wheel Of steel, projecting upward
tbrou1 h the center Of the pan, and cooked by
means of a strong spring. The pan being filled
with prmng powder, ard the cock furnished
with piece OF brmstone, being let down upon
the wheel, the pulling Of ths trigger would cause
|
producing sparks from the brimstone and exploding
the weapon. The cavalry also made use OF these
wheel locks aud the infantry of all the European
powers remained armed with machlocks up to
| the middle OF the seventeenth century.
In the sixteenth century the bore Of the arquebus
was diminished from that of uur-ouDce ball 10
that of ,w0-ounce ball, and then was introduced
into use the double arquebus, Whgse barrel was
four feet long, and carried an eight ounce bail
This. OF course, was fred with rest. There
was also used by soldiers, musquetoon, with a
| barrel one foot and hail long, having calber
OF two inches and designed to carry twelve or
fifteen small bullets. Target shooting was
generally pracliced in this century. AT about this
time was also introduced the musket proper, whose
barrel was considerably longer Than that of the
arouebus, ard threw ball OF four ounces. This
weapon was fired from rest, and was first used
| with deadly effect in The armies Of Charles V
| OF Spain.
At the commencement Of the seventeenth century
the arquebus had entirely disappeared, and the
troops Of the various European companies were
DIVIDED into muskeeers and pikemen. CaIbines
also, three and halt feet long, were introduced
among the cavalry, and each rider was provided
with two pistols. The csrbineer loaded his piece
with prepared wo0dsn cartridges.
! In the early part Of the seventeenth century, it
was found that the caber OF the pieces might be
reduced without Diminishing their utility, and
| the French accordingly set the fashion OF using
muskets carrying as many as fourteen bullets 10
I the pUund TINS century was noted iC! many
great Improvements IN fire arms and other weap
ons ot war The must important OF these changes
was the substitution Of The fiat lock for the wheel
and match locks. BY the year 1910 Tie match
| Z iral ,,tfo of 4 t,ul nj
luo. the bayone was introduced, consisting OF
TWO edged blade twelve inches long by one IN
width fitted like 4 plug in the barrel OF The mus.
| kei by means OF WO0deR handle ms mehud vi
fastening the bayOnet 10 the gun was very Incon-
venient, nasmuch as il was necessary TO remove
tne blade al each Discharge Of the piece. The
invention OF the 10 the Oay0net, however. In
| 1913, by which its advantages could be retained
even while fllsg, decided All minds in lis favor,
but it wa, MI generally adopted until much later
period Of the century, 1t Is SAID that the Swedes
were the first who nred with bay0neis fixed.
| In the commencement Ut the eighteenth century
Gottired Hansen Of NurembUTg Introduced the
method Of making the touch holes funnel shaped,
50 that the powder upon being ranned inIo the
parrel would ltie Prime the pece, and lhus
nstesse the speed Of Uading. Al ihs period also
the grooved, or riae barTel began 10 come general
ly into use
In 1897 two explosive mediums were discovered
tee one being chlofale OF potash and me oiher
detauaiiug quick silver. Forsyth took advantage
Of these discoveries. and obtained IN Engiand
patent for percussion fire lacks, by winch he
produced the ignit0n OF little delonailng balls,
composed Of potash, birthstone and lycopodum,
By means of smart stroke from hammer.-
| This percussion lock. however owing 10 It's some
what complicated structure and 10 the too great
affinity Of the chlOraie 10 damp, proved incapable
| of appliance 10 the arms in war until the lnyen-
ton Of the percussion cap in 1915 by DebOoubert.
! The CAP as fist used was sUmewhat clupSy
and awkward instrument Many years elapsed
before it acquired lis present neat aud convenient
shane. and il was not until alter $40 that they
were introduced generally among the European
| troops.
| OF late years much more attention has been
devoted 10 the subject o fire arms than ever before
The result is visible in the compact and elegant
foylmg pieces, yifrs and revolving pistols, which
are displayed ip our shop windows, as well as in
| the many marvellous engines 0f destruction which
have been brought into use since Inc commence
ment of the present European WAL 1t is TO be
hoped that as mans knowledge and skill in the
manufacture of deadly weapons becomes more
perfect our necessity tor their use as an offensive
weapon will grow less and less
Power OF THE Moon AT NIGHr.-Mr. Crane,
in b;s II ,etters from the East" has observed
The effect OF the moonlight On the eyes in
this country egypt is singplarly Injurious
The natives tell You, as afterwards found they
did in Arabia, to always cover yopr eyes when
vou w 81 sleep in the open air. 1t is rather strange
iha, thai The passage in the Psalms The sur shall