The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-06-15
ANCIENT FIREARMS.
The Battle Axe, Pistol, the Arqaebuse and
wheel-Lock OF old Times.

The battle-axe pistol had the pistol in
the handle, the weapon being fired by
reversing the battle-axe. Many Of them
did not reverse, however, the muzzle Of
the pistol in those projecting slightly
beyond the head of the axe.
The Paris museum has sword gun.
a straight sword of remarkable fine
workmanship, having for about a
quarter of its distance pistol barrel
running parallel with 1t. the lock Of
the pistol being concealed in the handle
of the sword.
A hunting arquebuse belonging 70
Henry VIII. is still preserved in the
Tower of London. the system being
nearly identical with that of favorite
modern rifle; and not one modern plan
of breech-loading is known that wss
not at one time or another foreshad-
owed in ancient weapons
The ..holy-water sprinkle was q
mace, strong and heavy, and having
six tubes running through its length.
These were the six barrels. all com
municating at the base with common
chamber and all fired at once by means
of a match applied to the powder. Or
course such a weapon as this once fired
was useless as gun. but still rs good
u mace as it was before.
The wheel-lock, which came in tn,
sixteenth century, consisted of a steel
wheel with rttehets working against h
flint The wheel. being released by
moving the trigger, revolved rapid.
and struck sparks of fire from the flint
thus igniting the powder. The wheel
lock was considered wonderful in
vention. but no long time elapsed after
it became common before it was super
seeded by the fint-lock.
The whip-pistol. specimens of which
are seen in many European museums.
much resembles an ordinary horse
mans whip. with a short. thick handle
and long. heavy lash. but concealed in
the tassels which apparently ornamen,
the stock is the lock of a pistol. tn,
barrel of which projects slightly be
yond the handle of the whip. II was
much used by Italian robbers. postil-
lions and stage-drivers in the south OF
Europe.
The Berlin museum has two-tlagger-
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
,lagger-blade, point being fixed al
the end of the pistol-bairel. which.
when the pistol was not in service.
answered for the tip of the blade.
Both these were very richly orna.
mented. being inIaid with gold and
silver. aud evidently used by persons
of rank and wealth.
When hand firearms came into US,
the only method of firing the gun was
by applying a blazing fuse to the prini
ing in the pan. This was slow ana
uncertain. and the difficulties arising
in the use of early firearms was 81
great that some wonder may be eN
pressed At their being used at all. Th,
gunner was forced to carry coars,
powder for his charge. fine powder fol
his printing. bag of bullets. a rest oi
which 10 place his piece when firing
and a burning match So much lug
gage rendered his movements ant
progress exceedingly slow. and ever,
man who carried gun was. therefore
generally attended by an assistant t,
keep his fire going.
Perhaps the most antique effort u
combine ancient and modern method,
is seen in the pistol shield. of whicl
twenty-one specimens are TO be founC
in the Tower Of London. 1t is an oI1li
nary shield. to all appearance. but in
| stead of a boss in the center an oblons
| tube projects a short distance in from
of the shield. This is the pistol barrel
and behind the shield is seen the loci
for firing. The pistol was breecl
loader and provided with four separat,
| thimbles, each one containing charge
50 that the weapon was practically
repeater. just above the barrel ther,
/ was little hole in the shield through
| which aim might be taken, but the eff
ficieney of these weapons must hav'
been very small.
1t notinfrequently happened in an
/ cient times that during Il rain two hos
| tile armies were forced to suspen,
military operations entirely from tn
fact that they could not keep theI
powder dry or their matches blazing
and the spectacle of opposing forces il
the field waiting for shower to pass
spreading out their ammunition OF
cloaks in the sun. then sitting dow
and waiting for their powder 10 dry
provoked the merriment of even thei
own day. Besides the process of load
ing and firing was incredibly slow
AT battle fought in 1886 the best sol
diers were able to fire only seven shot
in eight hours, while two years later
in the battle of Wittembergen, tn
quickest arqnebusers fired but seve
shots each, although the fight Taste
from noon till eight o'clock in tn
evening. Chicago Nc,os.