The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-18

To THE EDITOR OF TIE SuN-Sr: Items
like this get into newspaper circulation and
keep on going: much like tho spots on your
great namrsake in tho sky. there is n sort Of
cycle in their aprearan Q, q species Of maXima
aud minima.
The flint lock is by no means thing OF the
past. A large proportion OF Jncle Sans VOL
unteer sold ers In tho Mexican war carried
flint lock muskc:s, aud used them well. al
though the regulars had percussion guns. The
militia companies did not discard them until
well on in The tlfies. 1t was with flint lock
muskets that tho Turkish infantry battalions
were armed In the Crimean war. AS late as
1861 flint lock sporting rifles were made and
soil by 4 Philadelphia house.
Trail" written Us Francis Parkman nearly
nifty yeas aHo We are told how tho rlainsmsn
-:nnged nirSir. useless for real service.
Powder. loni. and hnts could always be had.
but eaHs 7, we're no, "asy TO might not
It.sso now in Africa. F,ints go there so do
now hint lock nuskGts; birmingham made.
tur"d on the spot Shou trade be slack. Will
il ""tau!t of lead excellent mnsket bullets
What cnans"! [ixel ammunition for small
arm, is now The rule. Few indeed are the m n
Wno La al the,r n9rt'nnTi guns from powder
been rc!eGnted 10 the back closet thence in
tn. next c.ntnry, 70 emerge into the publicity
lag arms b also Of those weapons " it'll which
mol are trained 10 20 cunning for each Other.
mnrazinc Gun a comIus fact In this the NOT
incation, OF the revolver are not TO be counted.
THAI is an atnG" her lierent arm. lipt in
our service III maga3in gun IS no new thing.
Spencer rifles n the hands OF the steady In
ian ~ that had been seasouel by service In
"ricF sburg. and Characteristic, proved ,hcir
usefulness nt nettysburg From that day 1t
became apparent that tho magazine rifle was
trOODS
Natch!o r. Tint locks, percussion guns.
gun. such was the scale. But. after ali,
Where barsari,I; m rules. an1 civilization or lie
10 ho oH% n ana ho' .hs eor.
ners 4 no world has scarcely displaced the
!, From the blow gun carried by tho native OF
the Central American forests. throwing tiny
poisoned dart t. ths pneumatic tubes OF tho
pounds OF dynamite Il mile. l. q great step in
achievement. Tut it is no advances in urinciple.
Lrsc.seiy ne same thing is done. but on a
" !. lot macy years ago that the rin.ilre car
H m,ytS wa a., nv thing Ir sloiguns, but TO-
ten. l.imlirs cartridges which succeeded
them Laye nearly had their lny. and central
:, The mounted, troors that served in the
iiint lock hrcech.l ado, an n great thing In
uay. Wy J, wa, heN.in shiOned for he
Lteutenants Of that era were tho ,.tIrsd
Colonies hozeq ysnrs ago aud they have
pas,e beyoad III" lines But tho arm can yet
DO zen In, our museums, A Chatham street
dealer had one tor snie not long ago, WIN 10
there was another among some relics of past
charge o, the ordnance dsp \ there That is
soMmewhat more than twenty-five years ago,
small bore ri.. in which the bullet is to bs
propelled by 'he Gxpau. I've i0rce Of uarbOnic
acid gas supply Of which, powerfully com
pressed Is carried In tie honow ,tovk This
VIII Gi o an arm iraclicali moi. sells, $. and GER
tain y snnkcless. and yet 1t does not serm
liary or Tor sporting purposes Stillitis UNI
sale to eonlectnrs, for what now seems vision
airy or impracticable. may be the common.
place. every day familiarity OF the future.
BRooxLyN. Aug. 10. 1891