'The views and opinions of Brigadier General John Jacob, CB. Aide-decamp to the Queen; Aide-de-camp to the Governor General of India, &c. &c. &c.; late commanding in chief the British forces in Persia; at present commanding the Sind Irregular Horse, and Political Superintendent of the North-West frontier of Sind.' [‎234] (265/481)

mi immwai
234
powers of these missiles has, I am certain, not yet even
been approached.
The iron points for the balls I now have made by com
pression from rod-iron; these answer admirably, and are
much superior to anything cast.
These points could probably be made wholesale, at such
prices that the ammunition could be prepared at no more
cost than the common musket cartridges; while the power
of the weapon would be about three times that of the best
Minie rifles.
A 32-gauge ball of three diameters in length, with this
iron point, is perfectly effective up to ranges of 2500 yards
or more. Shells, also, of this size appear to be quite large
enough for all ordinary purposes; they take the same sized
tubes as those before used for the 16-gauge shells, and
never fail. On the whole, I should recommend the 32-
gauge bore for general use.
I have tried every expedient I could think of as a sub
stitute for the greased patch for rifle balls, but always had
to return to this. Any species of wad, however attached
to the ball, retards its flight so much as to render distant
practice impossible, whatever may be the initial velocity
used.
The best method I am acquainted with of preparing
military rifle ammunition is to stitch slightly to the balls
patches of thin cotton cloth completely deprived of starch
(or conjee), and then to dip them in melted tallow.
The fore-part of the ball being hard, cannot be injured
by any maltreatment by the ramrod, nor by knocking
about against each other, and are best carried loose in
a pouch; the powder being in blank cartridges, in a sepa
rate partition.