Force of our Ship^ of War, ll9 



be crt)"S6rved, that the 38-pounder we propose to obtain from 

 the 9J feet and 8 j feet 32-pounder, are much superior in rela- 

 tive weight to the two lighter and shorter 36-pounders of M 

 Paixhans, and, therefore, capable of bearing larger charges, 

 and producing greaiter ranges than his guns. 



The additional weight accruing from this armament, in a 

 ship of 120 guns, would be nearly 91 tons *, which would cause 

 her to sink about 3j inches more than with the common 

 ordnance equipment. 



Thus we have proposed a scale upon which our naval ord- 

 nance may obtain the maximum of simplicity, together with an 

 increase offeree, which, if we adopt the calibre of 38 pounds, 

 will amount, in a ship of 120 guns, to nearly half as much 

 metal again being projected at each broadside than is thrown 

 by the usual armament f . 



M. Paixhans has proposed, with great plausibility, the intro- 

 duction of shells into naval artillery, and his system has been par- 

 tially experimented on with much apparent success J ; but 

 although his proposition opens the door for a fresh modification 

 of sea-service ordnance, we imagine that there are certain ob- 

 stacles arising from the peculiar nature of naval warfare, which 

 will render the adoption of it, to its full extent, very difficult. 

 The great feature in it, besides that of explosion, is the pro- 

 perty of giving hollow shot much larger calibres than our 

 largest solid shot, with less weight than the latter, possess. 

 For instance, the hollow shot of the calibre of 80 pounds, or 

 8 inches French in diameter, weighs, when filled, only 55 

 pounds French, or about 60 lbs. avoirdupois ; the hollow shot 

 of the calibre of 150 pounds, or 10 inches French in dia- 

 meter, weighs only 110 pounds French, when filled, or nearly, 

 or 119 lbs. avoirdupois. 



It must, however, be recollected, that in augmenting the 

 calibre to, perhaps, 10 inches, in the manner proposed by M. 

 Paixhans, there arises a disadvantage in the loss of time ; for 



* This weight is estimated at the war proportion of ammunition. 



t A broadside of sixty 38-pounders will project 2280 pounds of metal ; 

 a broadside consisting of sixteen .32's, thirty-four 24 's, six 32 pounder 

 carronades, and four 1 2-pounders, only amounts to 1568 pounds of metal. 



I See No. 2 of the Naval and Military Magazine, for June, 1827. 



