288 : On Shot Cartridges. 
Having thus obtained the value of the standard, from which 
the chain used in the Trigonometrical Survey was ‘actually laid 
off, I next Bess 4: to compare this with General Roy’s and 
Sir George Shuckburgh’s scales. 
[To be continued. | 
LXVI. On Shot Cartridges. By Mr. JosieH STEEVENS. 
To Dr. Tilloch. 
Sir, — Ozservine in your Number for August a paper by 
~ A Correspondent in India, on the use of shot cartridges for fowling- 
pieces; I beg to observe that I adopted the use of such cartridges 
in the year 1793, and myself and several friends have continued 
to use them ever since. From the year 1795 to 1804, they were 
several times taken to India by a friend of mine (who was a 
Purser in that service) : whether he consumed the whole, or dis- 
posed of a part with his investment, I know not: certain it is 
they were not returned to England. Cartridges containing both 
powder and shot were introduced at the same time, and in many 
instances have been found very advantageous, And as your Cor- 
a hese has omitted to describe the chief utility of shot car- 
tridges, I shall here describe both, and state a few out of many 
experiments made by myself and others for that purpose. 
The chief advantages of shot cartridges are, the prevention of 
the barrel from leading, and at the same time actually assisting 
in cleaning it en every discharge. It is well known that in order 
to make shot bright and handsome, as it is termed, a consider- 
able quantity of black lead is used, a portion of which is at every 
discharge deposited in the inside of the barrel, and so closely does 
it adhere that the ordinary mode of cleansing i is not sufficient to 
remove it; and I have within a few days seen a barrel so leaded, 
as to materially impede its projectile force, divert the shot from 
its rectilineal course, and deliver it in irregular clusters, leaving 
spaces near the centre of the charge at forty yards distance, four 
or five inches diameter; besides which, the lead from the shot, 
together with the deposit of the powder, actually so contracts 
the barre! immediately in front of the charge, that (although the 
gun has been cleaned in the ordinary way) [ have known’a sound 
barrel blown to pieces from this cause alone, which the use of 
shot cartridges would have prevented, Yet I do’ not consider 
them indispensable, nor have | adopted them generally, except 
where a quick succession of discharges is essential. ‘T he opera- 
tion of cleansing at every discharge is thus perfor med: the car- 
tridge which nearly fits the bore when put in, is enlarged by the 
“explosion 
’ 
