194 ON THE WING. 



scientific experiments made with the rifle, showing 

 that, up to a certain point, the velocity of the bullet 

 increases with its distance from the rifle. They are 

 to be found in Greener's work on "The Science of 

 Gunnery." 



" In the report of the experiments which were carried 

 on at Cork in 1852, it is stated that the power of pene- 

 tration of an elongated rifle bullet gradually increases 

 as the range is increased, up to 190 yards. In order 

 to prove this, experiments were carried on at Enfield 

 for three days, with a variety of fire-arms and dif- 

 ferent sorts of projectiles. On the fourth day, the 

 experiments were repeated with the common musket 

 and Wilkinson's rifle. The former at 40 yards gave a 

 penetration of 2.25 inches; and the latter averaged 

 2.75 in a target of green elm. Again, at 90 yards, 

 the musket penetrated 2.25 inches, and the rifle 3.5 

 inches. At 120 yards, the musket gave 2.5 inches, 

 and the rifle 3.25. Both being subsequently fired at 

 every successive ten yards up to 220, the result was 

 that the penetration of the musket ball gradually de- 

 creased in power as the distance increased, while the 

 elongated bullet gained power of penetration up to 

 190 yards ; after which it slightly decreased. 



" Consequent on the velocity of the explosive fluids 

 is the resistance of that aeriform fluid filling all space. 

 It has been calculated that, in a vacuum, matter in 

 motion would be a long time in coming to rest ; and 

 very providential it is that Nature, in her grand ar- 

 rangements, has made one element to control another. 



" In no other portion of Nature's work has anything 



