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Southland Times, Issue 923, 27 March 1868, Page 2

Mbw WHAirito Gun.— A new gun for killing whales, the invention of Captain Eban' Pierce, if thus described, by the " Commercial Advertiser', : — " We have recently examined a whaling gun invented by Captain Pierce, of the James Allen, a few of which have .been and are being tried by various masters in the whaling fleet. The instrument is the simplest and most affective weapon that can possibly be conceived of. It consists of a short brass gun- barrel, eighteen inches long and one and a half inches in diameter, which is made to fit on a pole like a harpoon. The gun is fitted with percussion caps, and a spring, the bomblance sets in the gun, and attached to the gun is a harpoon which lies in a' socket outside Jthd barrel, and is connected with the boat by aline. A rod projects beyond the muzzle, which is connected with the spring trigger. The whaleman, standing in the boat, throws this light weapon just as he would a harboon. As the rod strikes the whale, it springs back and fires the gun. The bomb-lance and harpoon enter the whale' at the same time, the former exploding and killing the animal almost immediately. It has been used with much succeßS in the past season. A whaleman using this instrument, alter throwing it at the whale, has merely to back his oars and wait the death of the animal, which is already fast by the line to the boat. For killing sperm whales and ' California prays,' which are so wild and desperate aftei being wounded, it must be a valuable invention. It promises to become the most popular and efficieut weapon in use, and will certainly reduce the* 'dangers and increase the •ucoom of whaling." .-