76 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



a given distance. To effect this, the match, which is in communication in the 

 interior of the projectile with the fulminating material, is marked exteriorly 

 with various figures, indicating the distance to which it will carry before ex- 

 ploding. The match is cut according to the desired distance at which the 

 gunner wishes to throw the ball at 400 or 600 yards, or further. The ram- 

 mer of the cannon is hollow at its base, so as to embrace the conical head of 

 the projectile, the same as the ramrod of the lalle-a-tige or Minie guns. The 

 " sight " is mobile, and is fixed in the right of the cannon. The distance to 

 which these guns will carry with precision is 2000 metres ; the total distance 

 to which they carry is 4500 metres. (The metre is 39 37-100 inches a little 

 more than a yard.) 



The effects of this new artillery upon masonry is illustrated in the following 

 report of experiments made at Vincennes, in 18-38. Two similar heavy 

 blocks of masonry having been chosen, a battery of 25 (old plan) was 

 mounted before the first at 36 yards, the usual distance for making a 

 breach. A battery of 12 (new plan) was placed before the other at about 

 double that distance namely, 77 yards. It required half the number of 

 shot from the new cannon to make as wide a breach as was made by the old 

 one. The balls entered the masonry 32 inches deep, and then exploded, 

 throwing off large cones. The charge of the new cannon was 2 Ibs. 10 

 ounces of powder; the charge of the old one was 18 Ibs. 



NOVELTIES IN WAR IMPLEMENTS. 



Mallet's 36-i)icJi Mortars. These gigantic mortars were described in the 

 Annual of Scientific Discovery for 18-38, page 87. Since then additional trials 

 have been made with them at Woolwich, England. In the first instance, a 

 charge of 50 Ibs. of powder was used, which obtained a range of about 340 

 yards to each 10 Ibs. of powder. A minute examination of the wedges, 

 keys, rings, etc.. having been made, and pronounced " all right," a second 

 charge of 60 Ibs. of powder, etc., was introduced. The second round, like 

 the first, was highly successful, the range in this instance exceeding 2000 

 yards, the shell alighting beyond the butt, in a ditch which separates the 

 marsh from the adjoining property, and creating a tremendous eruption of 

 water, black earth, etc. According to the prescribed arrangement of adding 

 10 Ibs. of powder to each successive charge, the third round contained 70 Ibs. ; 

 and although the monster gun had stood the first two rounds well, an addi- 

 tional degree of caution was observed by every one present to stand clear of 

 its proximity the instant the match was ignited. The effect of the third 

 round was less successful, as one of the steel cotters broke asunder, and was 

 rendered useless ; but as the former experiments had shown the necessity of 

 being provided against a similar casualty, the broken key was replaced, with 

 some slight delay, by a second, wrought of malleable cast iron, supposed to 

 be more durable. The mortar was then reloaded with an 80 Ib. charge, and 

 fired, with apparent success the shell again mounting high in the air, and 

 taking a flight over 2758 yards, considerably exceeding a mile and a half. 

 The elevation of the mortar was frequently varied, and was ultimately re- 

 duced from 48 deg. 30 min. to 45 deg. At this stage of the proceedings it 

 was found impossible to carry on the experiments, as one of the mainstays 

 intended to secure the various segments constituting the barrel of the mor- 

 tar was broken, and one of the principal wedges or cotters, a foot and a half 

 in length, had escaped. 



