Alexander John Forsyth
Encyclopedia
Alexander John Forsyth was a Scottish
Presbyterian clergyman who invented the percussion ignition.
Gunsmiths like Joseph Manton
invented more reliable forms of ignition
, like the tube lock in 1814. The artist
Joshua Shaw
designed what is recognised today as the percussion cap
, which he patent
ed in the United States
in 1822, since Forsyth had threatened his rivals
in Britain
with legal action. These new forms of ignition proved popular among hunters during the Regency period, who had their old reliable flintlocks
convert
ed.
, and succeeded his father
as minister of Belhelvie
in 1791.
While hunting
wild duck
, he was dissatisfied with his flintlock
fowling-piece due to its hang-fire; by the time
the pellets were discharged the duck had time to dive before the shot
reached them. He patented his scent-bottle lock in 1807; this was a small container filled with fulminate of mercury
During the Napoleonic Wars
Forsyth worked on his design
at the Tower armories. But when a new Master General of Ordnance was appointed he was dismissed; other experiment
s had had destructive results and the new master general did not wish to see Britain's main arsenal
destroyed.
Napoleon Bonaparte offered Forsyth a reward of £20,000 if he took his invention
to France
, but Forsyth declined. The French
gunsmith
Jean Lepage
developed a similar form of ignition in 1807 based on Forsyth's design
, but this was not pursued.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
Presbyterian clergyman who invented the percussion ignition.
Gunsmiths like Joseph Manton
Joseph Manton
Joseph Manton was a much celebrated British gunsmith who was to revolutionise sport shooting, vastly improve the quality of weapons and father the modern artillery shell. Joseph was also a keen sports shooter in his own right and a friend of the celebrated "sportsman" Colonel Peter Hawker.Kings Of...
invented more reliable forms of ignition
Lock (firearm)
The lock of a firearm is the system used to ignite the propellant. Types of lock include snaplock, matchlock, wheellock, flintlock, modern percussion, rotating bolt, and experimental electronic types. A complete firearm often consists of lock, stock, and barrel...
, like the tube lock in 1814. The artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
Joshua Shaw
Joshua Shaw
- Early life :Shaw was born in Ellesmere Port, England in 1776 and was orphaned at the age of 7. To survive he worked for a local farmer as a bird scarer. During the three years he spent doing this work he discovered his artistic talent and began drawing the animals he encountered...
designed what is recognised today as the percussion cap
Percussion cap
The percussion cap, introduced around 1830, was the crucial invention that enabled muzzleloading firearms to fire reliably in any weather.Before this development, firearms used flintlock ignition systems which produced flint-on-steel sparks to ignite a pan of priming powder and thereby fire the...
, which he patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1822, since Forsyth had threatened his rivals
Competition (economics)
Competition in economics is a term that encompasses the notion of individuals and firms striving for a greater share of a market to sell or buy goods and services...
in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with legal action. These new forms of ignition proved popular among hunters during the Regency period, who had their old reliable flintlocks
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
convert
Convert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
ed.
Life
He was educated at King's College, AberdeenKing's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
, and succeeded his father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
as minister of Belhelvie
Belhelvie
Belhelvie is a small village and civil parish in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The parish has a population of 3,802, of which 1,653 are in the village. It was the site of a suspected water pollution incident in 2006.-Notable people:...
in 1791.
While hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
wild duck
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, he was dissatisfied with his flintlock
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
fowling-piece due to its hang-fire; by the time
Time
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
the pellets were discharged the duck had time to dive before the shot
Lead shot
Lead shot is a collective term for small balls of lead. These were the original projectiles for muskets and early rifles, but today lead shot is fired primarily from shotguns. It is also used for a variety of other purposes...
reached them. He patented his scent-bottle lock in 1807; this was a small container filled with fulminate of mercury
During the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
Forsyth worked on his design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
at the Tower armories. But when a new Master General of Ordnance was appointed he was dismissed; other experiment
Experiment
An experiment is a methodical procedure carried out with the goal of verifying, falsifying, or establishing the validity of a hypothesis. Experiments vary greatly in their goal and scale, but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results...
s had had destructive results and the new master general did not wish to see Britain's main arsenal
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
destroyed.
Napoleon Bonaparte offered Forsyth a reward of £20,000 if he took his invention
Invention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, but Forsyth declined. The French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
gunsmith
Gunsmith
A gunsmith is a person who repairs, modifies, designs, or builds firearms. This occupation is different from an armorer. The armorer primarily maintains weapons and limited repairs involving parts replacement and possibly work involving accurization...
Jean Lepage
Jean Lepage
Jean Lepage was a famous French gunsmith. He worked for Louis XVI, Napoléon and then Louis XVIII. He was the inventor of fulminate percussion systems for firearms, which superseded the flint-lock mechanism and opened the way to modern firearms...
developed a similar form of ignition in 1807 based on Forsyth's design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
, but this was not pursued.