A CERTAIN IMPROVEMENT IN SHOT
Year: 1825

page_text: MANTON'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOSEPH MANTON, of Hanover Square, in the Parish of Saint George,
Hanover Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the
Fourth, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great
Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-fifth day of
March, in the sixth year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Manton,
His especial licence that I, the said Joseph Manton, my exors.,
admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Manton,
my exors., admors., and assigns, should at any time agree with
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick
upon Tweed, my Invention of "A CERTAIN IMPROVEMENT IN SHOT," in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me,
the said Josph Manton, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of

page_text: my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be inrolled in our High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, was in and by the same, rc-
ference being thereunto had, will more fully nd at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso I,
the said Joseph Manton, do hereby declare that the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
and particularly described and ascertained in the following descrip-
tion thereof (that is to say):
My said Invention of "a certain improvement in shot" is ap-
plicable to the lead shot commonly used in fowling pieces for killing
game, and other purposes, and consists in coating the surface of the
shot with the metal called mercury or quicksilver, whereby it is
rendered white, much more convenient for use, more cleanly, and
not so liable to injure the quality of the game killed by it as when
prepared in the usual manner, nor to adhere to the barrels of fowl-
ing pieces; and I hereby claim as my Invention any and every
mode by which lead shot may be coated with mercury or quicksilver.
As however it is desirable that I should afford an example of a
method or methods of carrying my said Invention into effect, I shall
proceed to do so as follows:-I take the lead shot in preference,
before it is glazed with plumbago or black lead, and put it into a
vessel either of a globular or barrel shape which can be closed, and
which I prefer to be made of iron, and capable of receiving either a
revolving movement on an axis, or of being agitated backwards and
forwards, or in any other fit and proper manner. Into this vessel
or vessels I put about one hundred pounds weight of lead shot, and
about one pound of mercury or quicksilver, and nearly fill it with
water. I then briskly stir or agitate the whole together until I find
on trial that the whole of the mercury or quicksilver has spread and
diffused itself uniformly, and coated the surface of the shot, after
which I wash it well in water. I then spread the shot upon a cloth
or canvass, which is stretched on a frame of wood, and rub the shot
with a sponge or a cloth, which will make it dry quicker. Should

page_text: the shot lose its silvery colour by being kept a long time, it may be
restored by again putting it into a revolving vessel, or one capable
of being shaken or agitated together with some water and a little
mercury or quicksilver, and be treated as before mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Manton, have hereunto
set iny hand and scal, this Twenty third day of September,
in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and