Comparison with foreign muskets.
The English musket (1842) differed from all those in use on the Continent, in having, 1st, the least accuracy, 2nd, reduced range, 3rd, heavier, 4th, shorter, 5th, larger bore, 6th, greater windage, 7th, double the charge of powder, 8th, the greatest recoil, and 9th, the most expensive! i. e., as compared with those of France and Belgium, Prussia, Austria, or even with the old Sikh matchlock!! And yet a “stand up fight” was stoutly maintained for this most inefficient arm, by many military men, as may be seen from the following extract from a note in Part II., Vol. II., of the “Aide Memoire to the military sciences:”—“Brown Bess advocated.Erroneous ideas prevail as to the precise wants of the service with regard to the musket, and its proper qualities and utility in the field, as well as much exaggeration as to the defects of the new percussion musket of 1842, for the infantry of the line. It is stated that it is too heavy and of imperfect construction. Some prefer the French pattern, and others would lessen the weight and calibre still more, reducing also the windage: as, however, the new regulation has brought into use some hundreds of thousands of new muskets, and has been approved by the highest authorities, some considerations are necessary before a radical change can be effected beyond range and a nice accuracy of fire. 1st, What are the essentials for a musket for the infantry of the line? 2nd, The application of the musket to the infantry soldier. It is evident that the most essential points are strength, and facility of pouring into your enemies’ ranks a powerful fire. Troops do not halt to play at long bowls; a field of battle presents a series of movements for the purpose of outflanking or closing in upon your enemy, and when within two hundred yards, to deliver your fire with effect. Firing at 500 or 600 yards is the business of artillery, and, therefore, to fire at 300 or 400 yards is a misapplication of the musket, a loss of time, a waste of ammunition, and tends to make men unsteady in the ranks.”
Brown Bess tried at Chatham.
The shooting powers of the musket (1842) are stated in the report on Experimental Musketry firing carried on by Captain (now Lieut.-Colonel) McKerlie, Royal Engineers, at Chatham, in 1846, which concludes as follows: “It appears by these experiments, that as a general rule, musketry fire should never be opened beyond 150 yards, and certainly not exceeding 200 yards. At this distance, half the number of shots missed a target 11-ft. 6-in., and at 150 yards a very large proportion also missed. At 75 and 100 yards every shot struck the target, only 2-ft. wide, and had the deviation increased simply as the distance every shot ought to have struck the target 6-ft. wide at 200 yards, instead of this, however, some were observed to pass several yards to the right and left, some to fall 30 yards short, and others to pass as much beyond, and this deviation increased in a still greater degree as the range increased. It is only then under peculiar circumstances, such as when it may be desirable to bring a fire on Field Artillery when there are no other means of replying to it, that it ought ever to be thought of using the musket at such distances as 400 yards.” Merits of “Brown Bess” illustrated.In fact, it has been stated that the probability of hitting one man with a musket ball at 500 yards would be as one farthing to the National Debt! On a recent occasion, at the Cape, 80,000 rounds were fired to kill 25 men!! To put a man “hors de combat” requires his weight in lead, and six times his weight in iron!!!
Price.
Our musket cost £3, the French and Belgian £1 8s. 61⁄2d. Fastened by bands.In foreign arms the barrel is fastened to the stock by bands, binding the two together, and thus adding greatly to their strength. This mode, although acknowledged to be infinitely superior for military purposes, by our Inspector of small arms, Bands unsightly!!was condemned as unsightly!! The French musket, although three inches longer, is beautifully poised, being lightened forward. Supposed profit of large bore.Our bore being larger was considered an advantage, as their balls could be fired out of our barrels, while our balls could not out of their muskets. It was generally thought that the greater weight of the English ball produced an increased range and momentum, but this was counteracted by the excess of windage.
Various forms of early fire-arms.
In former days small arms were made of various shapes and devices, and also combined with other weapons of attack and defence.
There is in the arsenal at Venice a matchlock containing twenty barrels, ten gun barrels, about 21⁄2 feet long, and ten pistol barrels half that length. The match exploded a gun and pistol barrel together.