350 Mediaval and Modern Ordnance. [July, 
object), every artillerist agrees that they are not long 
enough for our sea defences on land. As it is, we have 
found to our cost that the muzzles of our g-inch and 10-inch 
guns do not project far enough beyond Colonel Inglis’s iron 
shields in the embrasures of our lately constructed forts at 
Portsmouth and Plymouth; and from late experiments it 
has been found that when the guns in these new-fangled 
embrasures are traversed extreme right or left with extreme 
elevation (about 11), the blast of the explosion at the 
muzzle is felt with such violence within the casemate that 
it would be impossible (in spite of the massive cable 
mantlets erected inside to avert its effect) for a gun detach- 
ment to fight the gun, whilst the shields themselves after 
many rounds would be severely racked: the projectile 
when it leaves the muzzle passing within an inch (if not less) 
of the outer edge of the shield-plates. 
In addition, a considerable portion of energy is lost in so 
short a gun, for when large charges are fired a certain 
amount of the pebble-powder is thrown out of the muzzle 
unconsumed, and there is no doubt that a greater velocity 
and penetrative force will be given to the projectile by 
lengthening the gun. Consequently a new gun is to super- 
sede the S.S. 35-ton gun, and we may hope shortly to see a 
L.S. 36-ton “‘Infant”’ at least 3 feet longer than its elder 
brother, and its performances at Shoeburyness will be well 
worth looking forward to with interest. Preparations have 
already been commenced at Woolwich for the manufacture 
of the huge forgings which will be reyuired, such as a 
stupendous new steam-hammer of 30 tons, capable of 
striking a blow of many hundreds of tons, and other appli- 
ances. Taking the 35-ton 12-inch gun as the type, we need 
do no more than allude to the 12-inch of 25 tons, the 
11-inch of the same weight, and the ro-inch of 18 tons. 
Another 18-ton gun of the Hercules it appears has lately 
(30th May) been permanently disabled when at target- 
practice off Portland by the premature bursting of a shell in 
the bore near the muzzle of the piece. As usual, it would 
seem that the shell broke through its stud-holes where the 
rifling offers the maximum resistance to their escape, both 
the steel lining and outer chase coil being split. This is the 
third gun of its kind which has been thus injured on board 
the same ship during the past three years. The 12, 9, 7, 
and 6}-ton guns, together with the 64-pounder, finish the 
tale of our present wrought-iron guns, whose projectiles are 
shown on the plate. And now for our cast-iron and bronze 
pieces, which are not yet obsolete, for although rifled guns 
