GUN-MAKING is the art of manufacturing small arms, for the purposes of war and the chace. The name liar quebuss, which was first given to small arms, is said to have been derived from the Italian word arcobousa, or bow with a hole, and the instrument was successively designa ted harquebuss, hackbut, hand-gun, match-lock, musket, snapiance, petrinal, firelock, carabine, and fowling-piece ; hence the workmen acquired the appellation from the French, harquebussiers; and the British, gun-smiths and gun-makers. • The first application of gunpowder to small arms, ap pears to have been made by the Garmans soon after the invention of cannon ; for in 1471 we find that Edward the IV. brought over into England 300 Flemings, armed with hackbuts or harquebusses. The Spaniards are said to have, so early as the reign of Philip the II., adopted them in the army ; and that monarch caused them to be made of a large calibre, and so heavy, that a forked rest was re quisite to level them in taking aim. They were used at the siege of Rhige, and by the Emperor and Pope Leo, in 1521. The French had availed themselves of this arm, in 1667, to the extent of four harquebusses in each company of their army. England appears to have been earlier apprized of their superiority °vet the weapons then in use. Harquebuss soldiers formed a part of their forces in 1540 ; and Peter Van Collins is mentioned by Stowe as the first gun-smith, in 1543. By an act of Henry the VIII. the' length of the hand, gun stock, and barrel, is directed not to exceed one yard; and that of the hackbut three quarters of a yard. By a statute of Eliza beth, they are ordered to be made all of one size and ca libre, from which they acquired the name of culivers, a light kind of match-lock, fired without a rest; and their price was fixed at 13 shillings and sixpence, with flask, touch-box, laces and mould. In James the First's reign, the price was fixed at 14 shillings and ten pence. Charles the Second directs the musket barrel not to be under three feet in length, and to receive a ball of twelve in the pound; and in 1638, he grants a charter to the gun-smiths of Lon don, by the name of master wardens and society of gun makers ; at which period they made wheel and snap-lance locks. The Scotch used the harquebuss or match-lock
soon after its invention, from their intimate correspondence with France and Flanders ; yet we have no certain infor mation of their having any artists in that profession sooner than 1640, when they became incorporated with the ham mermen of Edinburgh, as a pendicle of the lock-smith art. The city guard were armed with muskets or harquebusses in 1682, the expence of purchasing and maintaining of which was directed to be defrayed from the money exact ed from those who entered burgess. After the union of the two kingdoms, the manufacture of small arms, (if ever carried on to any Cs tent,) seems to have been confined to a few inch% Minds. Prom the records of the hammertoe'', it appears that in 1715 there were only two, viz. Murdoch Grant, and John Simpson; and in 1741 there was only one in the profession. Since that period, however, greater en couragement has been given to that art in Edinburgh, there being at the present time (1816) six master gun makers, who employ about thirty workmen; and there is one in a few of the principal towns in Scotland. 'I his business has been carried on to a very considerable extent in England, by private individuals ; and government, with in these few vears, has established extensive manufacto ries at Lewisham, and in the Tower of London, employing about 500 workmen, who complete at the rate of 5000 stand of muskets every week : Expert workmen have been paid seven guineas and upwards for their week's labour. The London gun-makers, who are employed in the making of fowling-pieces, rifles, and pistols, amount to about forty-three, and they have not less than 300 peo ple in their service. Birmingham is the place where all kinds of fire-arms are manufactured to the greatest ex tent ; although it is to be regretted that the effect of com petition has introduced a superficial style of working, which is greatly detrimental to the character of the arti .cle, and to its extension as a branch of commercial ex port.