Page:Walks in the Black Country and its green border-land.pdf/145

Rh a French officer, in 1826, proposed to use a loosely-fitting ball such as is adapted to a smooth bore, and to expand it over the powder by a few smart blows of the ramrod. But this expedient did not answer the purpose. In 1836. Mr. Greener, of Birmingham, constructed a self-expanding ball by leaving an opening in it for the insertion of a plug of a harder metal, which forced out the lead at the explosion. This operation gave the ball a distorted or irregular form on leaving the barrel. In 1849. Colonel Thouvenin invented the Vincennes carbine, with a steel pin or stem at the bottom of the barrel which reached above the powder. Tic loose ball being forced upon this by several blows of the ramrod, was expanded to hug the grooves closely, and, to a good degree, accomplished the sought-for object. Captain Minié produced the improvement which bears his name. He removed the steel pin or stem and substituted a bullet hollow at the back, to which the explosion gave the necessary lateral expansion. Breech-loaders have now been brought into almost general use in England, both as sporting and military guns. The name of Westley Richards is well known in America, as well as in remoter countries, for his rifles and other fire-arms. His list of patrons embraces a great number of the English nobility and gentry, and his brand stands at the very