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Change in the History:
London gunmakers in April 1858 urge Arsenal to re-evaluate the Prince breech-loader

The Prince breech-loader patented in 1855 was a revolutionary weapon and was undoubtedly the finest military rifle of its time. It was never adopted by any army.

Reilly SN 10782, "New Oxford Street" on the rib - First Extant Reilly-made Prince - summer 1858:
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Arsenal had just adopted the .577 Enfield rifle-musket muzzle loader in 1853. Prince repeatedly outshot the Enfield. In April 1858 12 prominent London gun-makers petitioned Arsenal to reopen the competition. At the time the Prussians had been using a needle-gun breech loader since 1848. These gun-makers felt the time had come for the Prince. Arsenal was hide-bound and refused. 5 years later after the Prussians stunning victory over the Danes, the world's armies began scrambling for breech-loaders...the British wound up with first the Snider as a stop-gap (1866) (see p.12) and then the Martini-Henry (1871).

In the history I had recorded that Reilly was one of the 12 gun makers who petitioned Arsenal. Not so...the petition is posted below. The history has been changed. Reilly, the Irish Catholic was not an overt "revolutionary." But Reilly was supportive and an authorized manufacturer of the Prince. The first extant gun made at the new 315 Oxford Street manufactury (opened in early August 1858) was a Prince SN 10811..

Note: the qualifying phrase, "And having beyond no interest whatever in Mr. Prince's breech-loader..."

"The Field", 24 April 1858
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It is quite possible that EM Reilly did not sign the letter because he might have had a financial stake in Prince. Green did not sign that petition either - he had a financial stake in Prince.

Prince and Green about this time went into partnership. When that ended about 1860, Green later signed over manufacturing rights to his own breech-loader patented in 1862 to Reilly (several posts above) which Reilly then extensively promoted in summer 1864. Prince, Green and Reilly along with Dean, Blanch and a couple of others seemed to always be together in that time period.

(Reilly was wily and a very consummate businessman. One wonders whether he set this whole thing up..it's possible. There was a LOT of money to be made. In any event, the Empire lost a great early breech-loading rifle). (But given that they had to fight no sophisticated opponent for the next 55 years other than the South African boers....ho hum').

It was difficult to find what gun makers actually signed that petition, even on Prince centric sites. so I'll list them below for the benefit of internet searches:
-- John Blanch & Sons
-- John Blissett
-- Wm Bishop
-- B. Denver
-- Geo Fuller
-- J. Greenfield
-- E. London
-- John Manton and Son
-- Moore and Woodward
-- Saml Nock and Co.
-- Parker Field and Son
-- Henry Tatham
-- Henry Wilkinson

Last edited by Argo44; 02/28/21 11:01 PM.
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