The Charlotte Journal

New Improvement.
From the Charleston Courier.
INVENTION BY A CHARLESTONIAN.

We copy the following article referring to the invention of a new system for priming fire arms, from the Washington City Southern Press, and congratulate our fellow townsman on his success, trusting that it may result to his pecuniary advantage:

IMPORTANT INVENTION

Some time since a patent was granted to D. E. Maynard of Charleston, as the inventor of a new system of priming of fire arms. The invention was brought to the notice of our Government, and it was considered worthy of a trial to test its efficacy. A joint board of distinguished officers of the army and navy was appointed, and a most severe and protracted trial was made.

The report made by the board was so full and favorable that the Government appointed another joint board, with the General in Chief as its President, to consider and report upon the propriety of a purchase of the patent right for the Government use. The board reported favorably, and the purchase was made.

Last year an order for a practical field trial was given, and two hundred muskets and thirty thousand primers were sent to Texas, where for further time they were subjected by the United States troops to the usual trials and exposures of military arms in field service. The report of the officers entrusted with this trial is gratifying and creditable to the inventor and interesting to all military and gun using persons. A knowledge of its merits and advantages secures all that is now necessary to ensure the adoption of the system wherever the most perfect and efficient arm for military purposes can be required, and where the same advantages are appreciated for sporting guns, rifles, &c.

This invention is extremely simple; it changes neither the model, weight, nor action of the guns, and is applicable to any kind of firearms. The arms used for the Government trials up to this time have been flint locks, altered so as to use either this primer or the percussion cap. The very slight increased cost of the arm upon this system is so inconsiderable as to be covered by the saving on five hundred primers, these costing less than one fourth as much as caps.

So far as the act of priming is concerned, the most difficult act the soldier has to perform in battle, his invention makes the gun automatic--it performs the act itself--and that too with a precision unattainable by hand without regard to position, or temperature, or climate, of light, of benumbed or bruised and clumsy fingers, or awkwardness of the soldier he may be supposed, the increase in rapidity of firing is very great--it is reported to be from twenty five to thirty per cent.--Ordinarily, and under some circumstances, which embarrass the soldier, the increase would be some hundreds per cent.

As under some of the European patent laws a published description would debar the inventor from obtaining a patent, we will merely say that this system differs entirely from those in which the detonating material is in the form of powder (Forsythe's) or in small pills, or in metallic or other tubes, (Herte's Loupes Nebel.) all which systems have been tried for military purposes and have been abandoned; some for insecurity or inefficiency., and some because they cannot be understood, handled and managed by the common soldier.

The new system is reported as safer than the cap, (heretofore regarded the most safe,) and as being easily understood, and managed with entire simplicity and ease by the most untutored; and when once applied to the gun lasts, without the necessity of being touched by the hand, for the duration of the longest battle.

Some of our sportsmen are partially acquainted with this invention, it having been applied to Sharp's celebrated rifle by Nippes & Butterfield; and a manufactory of the same arm and primer, upon a very large scale, is in progress at Hartford, Connecticut. The Messrs. Remington, of Herkimer, New York celebrated for their barrels, both for United States and private arms, have recently completed a double-barrel gun upon this system of priming for the inventor. Its beauty, compactness, simplicity, and utility we have never seen equalled. it cannot fail to arrest the attention and please the taste of the sportsman. Before we saw this, we were not aware that such beautiful and perfect double-barrel sporting guns were made in this country

The many and favorable reports that have been made respecting this important invention, and the unanimous verdict given in its favor by all military and sporting gentlemen who have tried it, leave but little doubt of its general adoption in this country and abroad."

Speaking of the Maynard System of Priming, the New York Spirit of the Times, very high authority, says:

We are convinced that percussion caps have had their day. Think, oh ye lovers of the sport, of the luxury of having a gun that primes itself with perfect certainty and safety under all circumstances. No more good shooting lost on account of stiff fingers, damp powder, or bad caps; no more putting out eyes by flying copper; in fine, we are disposed to say no more difficulty at all with the very thing hitherto the most difficult.

The appearance of the gun is much improved by the new system, as the ugly and ominous snail shell guard is dispensed with, admitting of simpler, neater, and more compact work, while the action of the lock and the cost of the gun remain the same. It seems to us one of the most perfectly beautiful mechanical inventions, as it is certainly one of the most desirable and important to sporting and military men, we ever saw; and we confidently expect to see it take the place of the cap immediately. Our Government having adopted this system, of course all others must follow suit if they would keep pace with the age; and it is no small honor to our own to have originated an invention of such unquestionable importance and value to military nations. We congratulate Mr. Maynard most heartily upon the success of his invention and offer him our best thanks in behalf of our brother sportsmen for the great service rendered us."