Experience teaches the writer, and I dare say it would Mr. Blaine, if he were to experiment to the extent I have done, that there is no rapidity in the ignition further than the closing of that point of ignition by the cock, and no “force” beyond what the comparative instantaneous ignition of the gunpowder in the nipple creates. This is quite sufficient to prevent the further penetration of the percussion flame; and the only increase, to quote his own words, “to resist the quicker, and, consequently, more expansive, force applied by the ignition of the powder through the agency of detonation,” arises from an improvement (as it is termed) in the granulation of the powder, which alone creates the increased expansive force. This will be clearly understood by any one reading this work from the beginning; the only difference between the flint and percussion systems is the stopping of the orifice of ignition in one, and allowing it to escape in the other; for the flame has to travel to _windward_ (to use a nautical expression) in the flint; the other has its own accumulating power to force ignition through the body of the powder. This alone constitutes the difference. The necessity for an increase of metal at the breech of a barrel does not arise from any peculiarity in the mode of communicating the fire, but in the increased inflammability of the powder alone. The extreme smallness of grain has effected this more than the use of fulminating flame; and the continuous cry for fine powder, to get better up the nipples, has produced an alteration which is placed wrongfully to the credit of the percussion. Again, he says, “Mr. Greener, however, would have us acquire this increase of power of resistance, not by quantity of material, but by increased tenacity and elasticity in the metal the gun is formed of, and we agree that it would be a great improvement if it could be brought about. But what is our prospect of it? Is it not the general complaint that gun metal is not by any means what it was? We have shown that it is not; and, therefore, we do not think, as Mr. Greener asserts, that any recommendation of increased weight of metal to the percussion barrel beyond that of the flint gun “is founded on ignorance;” but, on the contrary, that the very reason Mr. Greener gives to prove it, is that which we think affords evidence of its perfect rationality, _the explosive force created_.” The answer given above applies to this also: save on the score of lessening recoil, superior quality is preferable, to quantity.