ANSWER. W. N. 



THE paper alluded to in the letter of my correfpondent. More particular 

 Contains an engra^fing of the ftiaded fedlion of a gun having a account* 

 double borcj but only one chamber ; from which each bore 

 dire6tly leads i but they diverge from each other in an angle 

 of about eighteen degrees. The charge of povvder is to be 

 placed in the chamber^ and the two (hot, one for each bore, 

 are conneded by a bar having two joints or hinges at an equal 

 diftance from its middle. By this contrivance, by bending the 

 compoifnd piece at the hinges, the (hot can be put into the 

 bores of the gun; and when the explofion blows them out^ 

 their divergence caufes the bar to become (Irait, and confe- 

 quently is expe^ed to do mifchief proportioned to the extent 

 of its length. 



The title of the paper is, " Horizontal Seflion of a Gun for Title of tliei 

 projeaing double-headed Shdt, invented by Lieut. Colonel P^P-^.^J^'*^^'^* 

 Blaquiere, 22 Dragoons, July, 1803. Recommended to be 

 ufed againft an invading Army on board his Majefty's Gun- 

 Boats ;*' and in the diredlions care is prefcribed, that the fame 

 length of bar ftiall be left out of each muzzle to prevent acci- 

 dent 5 and it is dated to be a great advantage, that a confider- 

 able diftance (liould be left between the powder and (liot, as; 

 hy this means the powder acquires itsgreateft potfible force. 



My opinion was atked concerning a gun of this defcription This gun iri- 



which another inventor had pnopofed, fome time previous to'^^^^f^ ^^^^ ^y 

 _,. ,- - ^ , , r ' I , fi- . another perfori. 



Midlummer la(t, to throw cham-lhot ; and the oblervations 



that then occurred were, 1. If there be the leaft difference its probable 

 between the windages or the blaft in each bore, or in the cafual^'^^^*^ 

 impediments, one (hot will precede the other* 2; If they go 

 out fairly together, their velocity of feparation will be to the 

 direct' velocity as the chord of the angle of divergence is to the 

 radius. In the prefent gun the balls will feparate w'ith one- 

 third of the velocity with v^rhich they advance. 3. That the 

 violent feparation of the (hot from each other, will moft pro- 

 bably, in either of thefe cafes, break the chain, or the bar, or 

 the joints. 4. Or if no fradlure takes place, the fudden check 

 ivill, by the elafticity of the metal, caufe the (hot to approach 

 again to each other. 5. To which I may add> that it may be 

 doubted whether the embarra(rment of one of thefe bar-fliots ^ 



preceding the other might not occation a dangerous obfiruc- 



L2 .(ion. 



