in order to strike the primer with sufficient force to explode it.  Having the mass, it must have considerable inertia; hence it needs a deep notch to hold it firm when jarred at full cock, and this deep notch necessitates a strong pull on the trigger.  But with an electric gun the circuit-closing parts are very small and light, and can be put into a recess in the butt of the gun, out of the way of chance blows.  Thus a light pressure of the finger is alone needed to fire it, while from the small inertia of the parts a sudden shock will not cause accidental closing of the circuit and firing of the gun.

* * * * *

MEUCCI’S CLAIMS TO THE TELEPHONE.

Our readers have already been informed through these columns that, notwithstanding the refusal of the Attorney-General, Mr. Garland, to institute suit for the nullification of the Bell patent, application has again been made by the Globe Telephone Co., of this city, the Washington Telephone Co., of Baltimore, and the Panelectric Co.  These applications have been referred to the Interior Department and Patent Office for examination, and upon their report the institution of the suit depends.  The evidence which the companies above mentioned have presented includes not only the statement of Prof.  Gray and the circumstances connected with his caveat, but brings out fully, for the first time, the claims of Antonio Meucci.

[Illustration:  MEUCCI’S CAVEAT, 1871.]

The latter evidence is intended to show that Meucci invented the speaking telephone not only before Bell, but that he antedated Reis by several years.  In a recent interview with Meucci we obtained a brief history of his life and of his invention, which will, no doubt, interest our readers.  Meucci, a native of Italy, was educated in the schools of Florence, devoting his time as a student to mechanical engineering.  In 1844 he gave considerable attention to the subject of electricity, and had a contract with the government of the island of Cuba to galvanize materials used in the army.  While experimenting with electricity he read the works of Becquerel, Mesmer, and others who treated largely of the virtues of electricity in the cure of disease.  Meucci made experiments in this direction, and at one time thought that he heard the sound of a sick person’s voice more distinctly than usual, when he had the spatula connected with the wire and battery in his mouth.

[Illustration:  FIGS. 1 AND 2.—­1849.]

The apparatus he used for this purpose is shown in Fig. 1.  It consists of an oval disk or spatula of copper attached to a wire which was coiled and supported in an insulating handle of cork.  To ascertain that he was able to hear the sound, he covered the device with a funnel of pasteboard, shown in the adjoining figure, and held it to his ear, and thought that he heard the sound more distinctly.