Persijs Muiznieks

How vengeful are sometimes the historical events when inventions that shake the whole world suddenly turn against their inventors? Much like what happened to the French physician Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, who in 1789 demonstrated the execution machine named after him that was used for beheading.

The inventor himself barely managed to escape from his self-created death table. Today, the so-called gunpowder, in the original name- saltpetre (smokeless or black powder), recalls a similar event.
If it can be believed that it originated in China, its use, which was more (originally) mythological, was not used in hostilities.
The fire was used as one of the divine forms of worship in the ancient world. It was used for many purposes; to summon rains after a severe drought, a good harvest, and in cases of a social nature. Saltpetre, or black powder, was filled into bamboo sticks, ignited, and pointed toward heaven.

Forces of Nature
They had more conversations with the forces of nature as well as conveyed the message to neighbouring tribes. There is no evidence that the gunpowder invented by China was used for war in its early stages. Around the 11th century, the first canon appeared in China, intended more for pyrotechnics and defence. For centuries, it has been presented as an art form and its glorious diversity and sounds during the festival have surprised the whole world.

The fireworks process was quite simple but dangerous. Improper filling sometimes caused explosions and burns to the body. Ancient alchemists found a way of adding different substances to achieve more colourful fireworks and rockets. Until the 9th century, saltpetre powder served as an element of peace and worship, when, around the 12th century, it was decided to take on a new name, - gunpowder, which took a dramatic turn in the pages of history, and the inventors became victims.

A record of the first firearms and their use in battle appeared in the middle of the 14th century. They were quite primitive in terms of both, operational and efficiency. A bullet with gunpowder (paper cartridge) was loaded at the end of the muzzle or pan and rammed deeper with a ramrod. The powder was ignited simply with matches that hung at the end of the rope. It was a time-consuming process that was relatively inefficient compared to cold weapons.

Later around the 16th century, there was a significant improvement in firearms with the installation of a flintlock mechanism. It was a simple device with a hammer to which flint was attached. When the trigger was pressed, the flint hit the iron, creating a spark, thus igniting the gunpowder. Both used the flint ignition type of lock. A cocking piece held a shaped piece of flint that, when triggered, struck a hinged plate called a frizzen, which showered sparks down on a pan of black powder priming charge. It would ignite and a flame gas wave would enter a touchhole in the side of the barrel, igniting the main charge.

The principle of the flint mechanism for firing gunpowder has long been used in the French and Dutch armies. Even the hand cannon was invented. The soldier held a copper pipe up to 2 "in diameter in one hand and placed fire in the opening of a small cannon with the other hand, igniting the powder. The noise was terrible during the explosion, and the rebound often hit the soldier along the ground. The effectiveness of such weapons was relatively low.

The first matchlock rifles were loaded simply from the end of the barrel. With an eye measure, saltpetre was poured into the muzzle and filled with a round bullet. The weapon had to be held slightly above the horizontal line, otherwise, the bullet often rolled out of the muzzle.
It was not always possible to ignite the powder at a rapid rate. Often the match had to be applied to the powder several times, thus making aiming more difficult. The biggest enemy of firearms was rain, which often turned intended success into defeat.

It is quite interesting to look at and compare the effectiveness of a firearm and a bow. Until the 15th century and even later, the bow, which had gone through centuries of struggle and was a primitive weapon for both combat and foraging, still held its position long after the invention of the firearm. The pages of history reveal spectacular battles that serve as evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of weapons in the Middle Ages.

In the Battle of Agincourt, in 1415, when a large English army of 6,000 men faced a much larger French army of 36,000. Well-organized archers destroyed more than 15,000 French soldiers. The English archers have long been known for their huge bows and arrows about a meter and a half, the iron tips of which pierced any knight's armour of that time. The bow held its position as a scary weapon until the 19th century. It was a so-called silent weapon and was used as a fireball in the Vietnam War. Secret letters were delivered with arrows, and their poison tips were used to kill the enemy.

Some considerations
It takes several months to train an archer, while a soldier with a firearm can acquire skills within a week. To achieve this, the soldier has to pass a regulations/exam, which requires him to shoot ten shots with weapons of different calibres at a certain time.

The French, and later the British had practised strict discipline in battles. During these battles, the first two lines provide uninterrupted fire on opponents. While the soldiers of the first row fired bullets, the second row loaded weapons. When it was the turn of the second row, the first row began to load.

Gradually, firearms were modernised and accepted as mandatory military equipment, along with bows and arrows.
The alchemist has not slept either and by working on chemical changes in the composition of the gunpowder and combinations with cellulose nitrate, it has achieved a highly flammable compound. This made it possible to design the first automatic firearms.

The Tower Museum in London keeps records of the year 1718 when James Puckle's first patented the machine gun. The first advanced weapon of this patent was capable of firing from 150 to 250 bullets per minute. Changes have been made in the design of the bullet. They are no longer a cartridge with paper-wrapped bullets. It is now pressed into a copper shell containing a precisely calibrated amount of gunpowder. The bullets have a special weight and shape for certain needs.

Nepal has had important pages of history, rich in the events of the war, especially in the 1814-1816 Anglo-Nepalese one. An extensive account of the events is provided by the Military Museum in Kathmandu, which brings together a rich range of weapons and warlords whose contribution brought about a radical change in the country's future.

The 200-year-old sword found in Samanpur, and the M16's old American rifles used in the fight against the Maoist rebels, do not yet erase the memories of those heroes who fought for their homeland.
A visit to the museum rouses an in-depth interest in the exhibits. However, it must be said that the services of a guide are quite stingy.

(The author is a foreign photojournalist based in Nepal)