Page:Walks in the Black Country and its green border-land.pdf/142

128 touch-hole at the top, just like its great ugly prototype. It was fired from a rest by a match, so that the whole process was like that of a modern park of artillery in action. The furthest reach of the next improvement was to bend the stock at the breech. The inventive genius was busy at the machine, and next produced the match-lock, which probably enabled the gun to be used on rainy days. But the carrying of lighted matches about among so much loose powder led to frequent and fatal accidents. They often touched off the powder-horn or powder-cask instead of the loaded gun. It was a long and protracted struggle of the genius of the day to obviate this difficulty, and to generate the requisite spark where and when it was wanted. Finally, a flint or bit of firestone was fixed opposite the touch-hole, and a file chained to the gun, and a little rubbing with this produced the ignition. During the next two centuries another improvement was effected. Instead of the file, a spring steel wheel was so attached as to be set whizzing against the flint by touching a trigger. This was the best contrivance developed up to the reign of Charles II. The scarcity and expense of powder, and the awkwardness of the guns, limited the use of fire-arms, so that in Elizabeth's reign the bow and arrow were the principal weapon of the English army. Another cause may be ascribed