220
ENGLISH AND FOREIGN ARTILLERY AND SMALL ARMS.
[Class VIII.
inventions relating to the attack or defence of placeshave been sent in ; so that we cannot speak of the meriteither of officers or workmen employed in military en-gineering, however eminent they may be. We have,from other nations, some remarks to make on the subjectof ordnance.
A. Cannon, and tiif.ir Carriages.
The articles exhibited under this head are few in num-ber. It has, apparently, been felt, that since it is themain object of the Exhibition rather to make known theprogress and to promote the arts that add to the comfortsand enjoyments of life, than the powerful and destructiveengines employed in war, such engines are not in placehere. Thus it is that France , so capable of illustratingall that relates to this branch of the art of war, contri-butes nothing, nor have the public departments of GreatJlritain sent anything. If from other countries we havereceived some articles that seem to belong to militarywarfare, they appear to have been sent rather as sample'sof manufacture and of materials, than for their originalmerits as instruments of war.
These observations are specially applicable to the veryremarkable specimens of wrought-iron guns, presentedby Spain and Turkey, not as the best pieces of ordnancethat can be produced, but as very extraordinary samplesof energy and ingenuity of production under circum-stances of necessity and difficulty, where recourse couldnot be had to ordinary manufactories, and where theseserviceable substitutes were provided with very imperfectmeans.
Spain has presented three pieces of cannon. 1st, aheavy brass 9-inch howitzer, weight G,730 lbs., 8 feetlong, cast at Seville , in 1849. 2nd, a 16-pounder fieldhowitzer, of wrought iron, in weight 535 Spanish pounds,4 ft. 8^ inches English in length, manufactured in Biscay,in 1837, during the civil war. 3rd, a 9-inch mortar i,a laGomer), of wrought iron, in weight 475 lbs., also madein Biscay, in 1838. The second article is most worthyof notice, on account of the excellency of its materialsand manufacture, though it is inferior to gun-metal,from its liability to oxidation at common temperature,and the action of the residuum of gunpowder, which isgreater upon it than upon cast iron or on bronze.
Turkey lias presented two wrought-iron field-guns,sufficiently light to be carried upon camels. Both theseguns are forged iron damasked bars, in the manner of agun-barrel. The execution of the work appears to beperfect, and the development of fibre upon the surfaceis very beautiful. Both are gold-vented; the smaller iscircular in section; that of the larger is a polygon of 16sides. They were forged at Erzeroum , in 1841, with manyothers, by order of Abbas Pacha, the Turkish Com-mander-iu-Chief, after the loss of the greater part of hisartillery at the battle of Nezib. They can only be re-garded as a substitute, in time of necessity, for theproper material. But the skill necessary to produce thearticles, and the workmanship, are remarkable.
Belgium has sent from its celebrated foundry at Liege ,seven pieces of ordnance of east iron, of the* models ofthe following countries : —
l’ounder. Kilog. When east.
Holland - - 30 of the weight of 2,746 1843
Prussia - - 24 ,, 2,710 1849
Belgium , short 24 „ 900 No date.
Belgium - - 12 (model of the Marine) 1,670 1S34
Belgium - - 6 „ 886 1830
Belgium - - 6-inch howitzer - 520 1832
Belgium (Fprouvette mortar, cast on bed at 1 ,
- _ _ _ _ y 198 No date.
The 1st, 3rd, 5tlx, and 6th of these guns have beensubjected to continued firing, and the number of roundssustained by each is marked upon them, viz., the
Round*.
30 pounder (Holland) ----- 2.000
h«rt 21 ., (Belgium ) ----- 3,010
6 ,. (Belgium ) - - - - 2,3.)2 '
After which the vent was renewed - 3,700
Making in all - --6,002
6-inch howitzer — 2.118 :
! The vents exhibit a greater or less enlargement; but; there is no description of the internal figure, nor are theparticulars given of the charges or rate of firing. All, these pieces appear to be well manufactured, and of verygood material, and they are clean from the sand, withoutbeing turned.
Prussia has presented a 6-pounder field-gun, 5J feetlong, of a new material—native cast steel, forged by thehammer, mounted on a carriage of 3 feet size, and manu-j factured by Mr. Krupp, of Essen , near Dusseldorf . Themerits of Mr. Krupp, and his ability in working iron andsteel, are proclaimed, and will be enumerated in common•with that kind of manufacture, as also his steel cuirasses;we merely mention here the remarkable beauty of theworkmanship of the piece of ordnance alluded to.
Besides the above the Jury have noticed the follow-ing:—
Captain Tylden, R.A. (275, p. 358), has presented aseries of fine models of the constructions of guns for theEnglish service, on the scale of 1^ inch per foot, with asea-service 13-iuch mortar, a 10-inch howitzer, and 32-pounder gun, on garrison carriages, and a light 6-pounderlield-gun and limber. These are all well executed, butwithout any novelty of construction.
Mgnro, J. , Jun. (282, p. 35S), two very correct andfinely-finished models of a 9-pounder field-gun and limber,and a 24-pounder gun.
The Honourable East India Company (pp. 911, 912)have exhibited a series of models showing the construc-tion of artillery used in the East Indies for siege andfield service, on the scale of l£ inch per foot. Thesemodels are well executed; but they do not appear topresent any particular object of preference.
There are also several camel-guns, as well as somebrass field-guns, of Indian construction, proper to illus-trate the modes of Indian warfare.
The Hon. Captain Fitz Maurice (283, p. 35S) exhi-bits two models to illustrate his mode of pointing, appliedto a carriage-gun and a mortar, by means of a horizontalendless screw, acting at the segment of a wheel.
Messrs. C. A. and T. Fercusson (84, p. 338), of MillWall, Block and Gun-carriage Manufactory, two piecesof ordnance, mounted for sea-service, with particulardispositions.
B. Small Arms.
A great number of nations have sent small arms to theExhibition ; several of them such as are used for war,but by far the greater number being for sporting pur-poses. Three nations are prominent for the constructionof small arms, the English , the French , and the Belgians.
I Small arms for war and for the ebaee, are manufactured| at Birmingham , the one with due solidity, the others| with refinements of workmanship. This last class is,j however, sparing of ornaments.
! Liege is the Birmingham of Belgium , and has a large; manufactory of both kinds of guns. The Belgians, onj account of cheapness, combined with good execution, sellI a great quantity of small anus to other nations, particu-1 larly to Russia .
j France , for the manufacture of small arms for war, is• now perhaps more advanced than any other nation. St.
| Etienne, the town principally employed in the maimfac-! tnre of muskets, has not sent anything of consequence' to the Exhibition: in this it was very wrong. Paris isthe best place for the fabrication of arms: here are com-bined all the perfection that could be desired for pre-j cisiou of firing, with beauty of ornament; the ornamentsj are very often designed by the best artists, and are exe-| cuted with remarkable delicacy. We cannot enter into! the details of the merits peculiar to each of the exhi-^ bitors who presented small anus, and shall confine our-selves to saying a feu* words under the names of each; exhibitor to whom a Medal is awarded.
j Prize Medals:—
! Brazier, J. and Son, Wolverhampton (206, p. 352).
' Excellent locks for best guns.
Deane, Adams, and Deane, London (223, p. 352).Double and single guns and pistols, perfectly fiuislied.