Abridgments of the Specifications Relating to Fire-Arms and Other Weapons, Ammunition, and Accoutrements: A.D. 1588-1858-Pt. Ii. A.D. 1858-1866

ABRIDGMENTS OF THE SPECIFICATIONS RELATING TO FIRE-ARMS AND OTHER WEAPONS, AMMUNITION, AND ACCOUTREMENTS. The book chronicles the evolution of firearms technology through abridged patent specifications issued in England from 1588 to 1866, drawn from the Great Seal Patent Office. It includes prefatory discussion on the history of gunpowder and artillery, remarks on the pace of improvement, and the role of routine in resisting progress. The text compiles long lists of patentees and their inventions—ranging from early saltpetre patents to later breech-loading systems, cartridges, detonating primers, cartridge boxes, and artillery carriages—accompanied by index of names, index of subjects, and addenda. The Addendum and Appendices provide bibliographic references and notes on patent documentation and colonial protections. The volume serves as a reference resource for researchers of the technological and legal history of firearms and military technology, illustrating how patent records record incremental and radical innovations across several centuries.