a patent in
1835; and in 1836 he took out another patent for obtaining the rotatory
motion by drawing back the trigger, and he subsequently introduced the
addition of a lever ramrod fixed on to the barrel. Col. Colt came to the
conclusion that the hammer-revolving cylinder was the more useful
article, inasmuch as it enabled the person using it to take a more
steady aim than with the other, which, revolving and firing by the
action of the trigger, the moment of explosion could not be depended
upon. To Col. Colt belongs the honour of so combining obsolete and
modern inventions, and superadding such improvements of his own, as to
produce the first practical and really serviceable weapon.

Since then Messrs. Dean and Adams, in 1852, revived the old invention of
the trigger-revolving cylinder, which has the advantage of only
requiring one hand to fire, but which is immeasurably inferior where
accuracy of aim is wanted. Mr. Tranter, in 1853, patented a new
invention, which, by employing a double trigger, combines the advantages
of Colt and avoids the drawbacks of Dean and Adams. By a side-wind he
has also adapted that invaluable application of Colt's--a fixed lever
ramrod. Many other patents are springing up daily, too numerous to
mention, and too similar to admit of easy definition.

To return to rifles.--It is well known that the ordinary rifle in use
until late years was the seven-grooved, with a spherical ball, and the
two-grooved, with a zone bullet; the latter an invention known as the
Brunswick rifle; and imported from Berlin about 1836. It was upon this
weapon Mr. Lancaster proceeded to make some very ingenious experiments,
widening the grooves gradually until at last they met, and an elliptic
bore rifle was produced, for which he obtained a patent in July, 1850;
but upon investigation it would be proved that Mr. Lancaster's patent
was invalid, inasmuch as the elliptical bore rifle is of so ancient a
date that it is mentioned in _Scloppetaria_--a work printed in 1808--as
even then obsolete; the details, methods, and instruments for their
fabrication are fully described therein; and I have seen a rifle of this
kind, made by "Dumazin, a Paris," which is at least a century old; it is
now in the possession of the Duke of Athole. Mr. Lancaster is entitled
to the credit of bringing into practical use what others had thrown on
one side as valueless.

From rifles I turn to balls, in which the chief feature of improvement