318 MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 



ments upon it is very limited ; and though various 

 methods have been tried, some condemned and others 

 adopted nothing tliat I am aware of has yet been 

 made pubhc which may be rehed upon as correct. A 

 principal reason for the numerous errors and irregu- 

 larities is an insufficient inquiry into the relations of 

 cause and effect, for in scarcely any investigation is a 

 knowledge of causes more essential than in conducting 

 experiments in gunnery. The author of '* Gunnery in 

 1858" asserted what he thought had been proved by 

 experiments to be a fact — though contrary to his own 

 preconceived opinion, and out of his power to give 

 the reasons for — that the velocity of a rifle ball in- 

 creases after it leaves the muzzle of the rifle up to 

 about 190 yards or thereabouts, when it gradually de- 

 creases. This assertion has been copied and indorsed 

 by several authors, who believe it simply because an 

 authority said so. No one of them offers a reason 

 therefor ; but all say it is undeniably a fact, because 

 in a certain experiment the depth of penetration of the 

 projectile was found to increase up to that distance, 

 when it gradually became less as the distance was far- 

 ther increased. The effect I admit ; but what an 

 absurd deduction is made therefrom ! 



It is a law in this material world that no moving 

 body can of itself- increase its motion. It may impart 



