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The Gun Club
TheArmstrong,Palliser,andBeaulieugunswerecompelledtobowbeforetheirtransatlanticrivals.
NowwhenanAmericanhasanidea,hedirectlyseeksasecondAmericantoshareit.Iftherebethree,theyelectapresidentandtwosecretaries.Givenfour,theynameakeeperofrecords,andtheofficeisreadyforwork;five,theyconveneageneralmeeting,andtheclubisfullyconstituted.SothingsweremanagedinBaltimore.Theinventorofanewcannonassociatedhimselfwiththecasterandtheborer.Thuswasformedthenucleusofthe"GunClub."Inasinglemonthafteritsformationitnumbered1,833effectivemembersand30,565correspondingmembers.
Oneconditionwasimposedasasinequanonuponeverycandidateforadmissionintotheassociation,andthatwastheconditionofhavingdesigned,or(moreorless)perfectedacannon;or,indefaultofacannon,atleastafirearmofsomedescription.Itmay,however,bementionedthatmereinventorsofrevolvers,fire-shootingcarbines,andsimilarsmallarms,metwithlittleconsideration.Artilleristsalwayscommandedthechiefplaceoffavor.
Theestimationinwhichthesegentlemenwereheld,accordingtooneofthemostscientificexponentsoftheGunClub,was"proportionaltothemassesoftheirguns,andinthedirectratioofthesquareofthedistancesattainedbytheirprojectiles."
TheGunCluboncefounded,itiseasytoconceivetheresultoftheinventivegeniusoftheAmericans.
