170 RESULTS OF A SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS 



(1.) By an examination of all the results, it will be seen that the guns invariably burst 

 with a smaller charge when the ball was nearer the powder than when it was at a dis- 

 tance. The average bursting charge from three sets of experiments with the balls in 

 contact with the powder is six ounces and three quarters; while, with a space between, 

 the average charge, to produce the same effect, is eight ounces and a half. 



(2.) In three cases of the four guns in which the position of the balls was varied, the 

 bursting took place with the ball in contact with the powder after the gun had twice 

 sustained the force of the discharge with the same quantity of powder with a space 

 between the ball and the charge; and in the fourth case, (experiment 6,) in which the 

 ball was placed alternately at the distance of twelve and four inches, the bursting took 

 place with the shot at the shortest distance, after the gun had previously withstood the 

 same charge at the greater distance. 



It may be mentioned, that the range or distance to which the ball was thrown horizon- 

 tally, before striking the ground, was greater in all cases where the shot was down on 

 the powder than in those in which a space was left between, also when the shot was in 

 contact with the powder, the recoil, as indicated by the motion of the timber to which 

 the gun was fastened, was less than when the shot was rammed home. This result is 

 also at variance with the popular belief in reference to the subject. From these results 

 it therefore appears, that so far from increasing the tendency of a gun to burst by leaving 

 a space between the ball and the powder, the danger is considerably diminished by such 

 an arrangement. 



II. In reference to the second question, the effect of increasing the number of shot, we 

 have the following results from the two sets of guns : — 



From the first set. 



1. With one gun charged with a single ball in contact with the powder, the bursting 

 charge was six ounces and two-thirds. 



2. With another gun, with four balls, all home, the bursting charge was three ounces 

 and three-fourths. 



3. With the next gun, charged with nine balls, all home, the bursting charge was 

 three ounces and a quarter. 



From the second set. 



1. The first of these guns was burst without shot, the quantity of powder being regu- 

 larly increased, the effect took place with sixteen ounces. 



2. Another gun, charged with one ball, in contact with the powder, burst with nine 

 and a quarter ounces. 



3. The next, also with one ball in contact with the powder, burst with eight ounces 

 and three quarters. The average of the last two being nine ounces. 



4. Also another gun of the same set, charged with two balls sent home, burst with six 

 and a half ounces. 



5. Another of the same set, loaded with five balls, all home, burst with four ounces. 



