The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-12-31
The FIRST CANNON
They Were In Use Long Before
Hand Firearms Appeared.
CRUDE GUNS OF. EARLY DAYS

france, Russia. Japan. Germany and
many other countries. are to be seen
In the small arms exhibition of the
United States national museum. The
exhibit includes some LOO Individual
pieces and comprises probably the best
general collection In the United States,
considering that there are represented
examples Of military rifles, pistols and
revolvers. sporting shotguns and rifles.
target rifles and pistols. and numer-
Gus odd and unusual pieces relating
to the development Of firearms.
Although the discovery Of gunpowder
Is attributed by some to China. there
il no positive evidence that the Chi.
nese ever made use of it. at an early
period they produced certain kinds of
fireworks. accounts Of which came
through Persia. Egypt and the Moorish
countries In southern Europe, but gun.
powder for use In firearms, It IL be-
lieved originated in Italy, Spain or Ger
many. While cannon Of a sort were
built in the early part of the fourteenth
century. hand firearms were slow to
DE adopted ON account of their unre-
liability. and 1t was not until about
1881 that they are known to have ap
peared in Germany. while Europe in
general did not take them up until the
middle of the fifteenth century. when
they became known as hand cannon.
The earliest form OF hand gun was a
crude affair. fred by the application OF
burning match to the tOuchhoIe. The
first improvement was the mounting OF
the match on springless lock or cock.
which later. upon the addition of a
spring. became known as the match
lock. Examples OF this early weapon
from India. China, Afgha nistan. Japan.
FormOsa. Arabia. Morocco and Mexico
are in the museum collection =:
The next development was the wheel
lock gun. about 1915 or 1917. fred by
spark struck on pyrttes by a roughened
wheel revOIved by spring Speci.
mems OF this type OF gun and pistol
from Greece. Germany and England
are also included In the museum ex-
hibit.
form of fintlock, called the snap.
1aunce. followed In 1910. This substi.
tuted in place OF the wheel q lock,
which held In its jaws a piece Of py..
rites and when released hit the cover
OF the pan. striking spark. which ig-
nited the charge of powder. A pair of
pistols Of this type from Constantine.
pie illustrate the principle we'll Fur
ther improvements In the snaphaunce
resulted In the fintlock gun. In which
a piece OF flint replaced the pyrites
Examples of this style are more com
mon. and some sixty are included In
the museum collection. representing
nearly every country and well illustrat
ing the various changes and improve
ments made.
One OF the most interesting and val.
liable arms In the collections is the
John Cookson aintiock breech loading
magazine gun. made in 1886. which has
a magazine in the stock capable OF
holding ten rounds Of loose powder
and outlets.
One movement OF the lever feeds the
ammunition into the barrel. cocks the
hammer and primes the pan In spite
OF the English name OF the maker. this
ODD piece Is believed to be of Spanish
origin on account OF its general type
and the style OF its decoration. 1t was
probably brought to Maryland by the
early English cOlonists. At least it
was found IN Baltimore and contiscat
ed IN 1853 and held by the government
until 1867, when 1t was thrown away
In lSSS it was purchased for small
sum and put In its present perfect con.
d1tiOn Dy gunsm1th of Baltimore.
from whom 1t was secured by an
American collector and presented to
the museum
Prom military viewpoint, the de
sign OF this gun evidences great ad
vanres of it's time. for. With the maya
zine charging appurtenance, ten shots
could be tired In little more time
than Ia required for modern maya
zine gun Altogether. the antiquity,
design, workmanship and beauty of
this gun make 1t most valuable and
remarkable relic.
The collection also contains severa,
pilIork, and the percussion cap guns.
which followed the dint lock. and the
Prussia needle gun. and the French
Chassepot which appeared somewhat
later.
The development of the gun and am
munition in the Omitted States is we'll
illustrated by series Of historical
cases showing the types used In the
succeeding wars from the French and
Indian to the war With Spain. thus
connecting closely history and inveD
ton
4. While many foreign guns are repre-
sented they are not all OF the latest
patent or of the type now In use. In
the case of our military rife. however.
the latest Developments are shown.
and II is interesting to note that the
Springfield rife. generally Known as
the 1903 model. though It has been i'm
proved upon since. IL to be found In
three separate series-the target, game
and military showing that 1t Is suit,