Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-06-19
ANCIENT FIREARMS.

,..axe. pistol. tho Arauebuse and
- wbesl-Lock Of Old r'mcs.
-. ha,tle-axe pistol had the pistol in
u" .adle. the weapon being fired by
sSe a Zinc the battle-axe. Many of them
ls,e y, reverse. however, the muzzle Of
90 " u" in those projecting slightly
ss'sdUd The head Of the axe.
r r.. Paris museum has sword gun.
'.,iolt sword of remarkable fine
,,amsuship, having for about a
s~ ',ser Of its distance pistol barrel
a.iuo parallel with it. the lock OF
I ~ ni,tol being concealed in the handle
4 the sword. - 4
hunting arquebuse belonging ia
larry VIII. is still preserved in the
r ~sr of London. the system being
' NV Identical with that Of a favorite
~dern rife; and not one modern plan
u hreech.loading is known that was
~, one time or another foreshad-
.weJ in ancient weapons.
The "holy-water sprinkle" was a
nsee strong and heavy, and having
~ tubes running through its length.
Thsss we're the six barrels, all COM
municating at the base with a common
chamber and all fired at once by means
da match applied to the powder. OF
course such Il weapon as this once fired
Vas useless rs a gun. but still as good
mace rs twas before. 49,
The wheel-lock, which came in the
dv,eenth century, consisted Of steel
wheel it'll ratchets working against a
Amt The wheel, being released by
moving the trigger, revolved rapidly
and struck sparks of FIRE from the flint,
thus igniting the powder. The wheel
lack was considered a wonderful in.
yention, but no long time elapsed after
il became common before it was SUPER
sded by the lint-lock. ~
The whip-pistol, specimens of which
are seen in many European museums,
much resembles an ordinary horse
mans whip. with short. thick handle
and long, heavy lash. but concealed in
the tassels which apparently ornament
the stock is the lock of pistol. the
barrel Of which projects slightly be-
yond the handle Of the whip. 1t was
much used by Italian robbers. postil-
lions and stagc-drivers in the south OF
Europe.
The Berlin museum has two-dagger.
pistols, one having the barrel on the
side of the dagger. the weapon being
fired with n wheel-lock; the other
showing the barrel in the center OF the
dagger-blade, point being fixed at
the end of the pistol-barrel, which.
when the pistol was not in service,
answered for the tip Of the blade.
Both these were very richly orna-
mente'i. being inlaid with gold and
silver, and evidently used by persons
Of rank and wealth.
When hand firearms came into use
the only method of firing the gun was
by applying a blazing fuse to the prm.
ing in the pan. This was slow and
and the difficulties arising
in the use of early firearms was so
great that some wonder may be ex-
pressed at their being used at all. The
gunner was forced to carry coarse
powder for his charge, fine powder for
his printing. bag of bullets. rest on
which to place his piece when firing.
and burning match. So much lug
gage rendered his movements and
progress exceedingly slow. and every
nan who carried gun was, therefore,
generally attended by an assistant to
Keep his fire going. ..-
Perhaps the most antique effort to
combine ancient and modern methods
$ seen in the pistol shield, of which
wenty-one specimens are to be found
n the Tower of London. 1t is an ordi-
larry shield. to all appearance, but in
tead OF a boss in the center an oblong
ube projects a short distance in front
II the shield This is the pistol barrel.
md behind the shield is seen the lock
Or firing. The pistol was breech
Dader and provided with four separate
each one containing charge,
that the weapon was practically
epeater. Just above the barrel there
'as little hole in the shield through
hitch aim might be taken. but the eff
cheney of these weapons must have
cen very small.
1t notinfrequently happened in an
lent times that during rain two hos
lie armies were forced to suspend
Military operations entirely from the
'et that they could not keep their
owder dry or their matches blazing,
nj the spectacle of opposing forces in
lie held waiting for shower to pass,
'reading out their ammunition on
oaks in the sun. then sitting down
nd waiting for their powder to dry,
revoked the merriment of even their
~n day. Besides the process of load
g and firing was incredibly slow.
a battle fought in 1886 the best sol
ers were able to fire only seven shots
eight hours, while two years later.
the battle of Wittembergen. the
hckest arquebnsers fired but seven
ots each. although the fight lasted
ON noon till eight o'clock in the
ening. Chicago News.