Steel warships propelled by steam and equipped with breech-loading weapons had become standard. |
The breech-loading cannons were set to fire in only one fixed direction and were of little use. |
Better guns, along with breech-loading, made possible both longer ranges and higher rates of fire. |
The breech-loading principle was also adopted in them, and special provision to effect this satisfactorily was invented by him. |
This coincided with rapid improvement in firearms, with breech-loading rifles replacing the musket. |
In the second half of the year the government purchased approximately 6,000 breech-loading rifles. |