[DL] British weapons & Secret Service

[Michael Robert Blair <pellinoire@yahoo.com>]

The British service rifle is the Martini-Henry in
.577/450 (the old .577 Snider cartridge necked down to
.45). A very strong rifle with weak extraction.
It replaced the Snider, a conversion of the P/53
Enfields to breech loading, centre-fire cartridges.
Service pistol is more confusing. Officers bought
their own - but the ammunition was provided. Some
carried Colts but most carried Adams. Webleys existed
and were popular (Autie Custer carried a pair) but not
service revolvers until the Mk I of 1887.
Note the British preferred double-action revolvers -
they wanted a sturdy revolver that would quickly drop
a charging native, accuracy was of secondary
importance. Some still carried Howdah pistols - double
or 4-barrelled monsters.

I should have stats for most of these but at home not
here in work. I should put them back on the web site.

I am not sure about the British secret service either,
I think it was a very haphazard and rather amateurish
affair though.

Scotland Yard had a 'Special Irish Branch' to
investigate Fenian terrorists/freedom fighters.
Incidentally the name 'Irish Republican Army' first
appeared when they invaded Canada after the ACW.

(terrorist, IRA, fenian, freedom fighter. Hmmn, I
wonder how many bells this post will set off at the
NSA?)

Michael


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