ARTILLERY 



fire by tho explosion, but easily extinguished ; one bolt was broken, and other injuries 

 done. 



Altogether, for completeness of penetration and for the destructive effects which 

 would have been produced both upon the ship and crew, this experiment carries with 

 it groat significance. 



After this a cylindrical flat-headed homogeneous metal shell, weighing 148 Ibs., 

 with a bursting charge of 5 Ibs. 12 oz., was fired from the Whitworth 7-inch gun, with 

 a charge of 25 Ibs. of powder, which gave velocity at 30 yards in front of the target 

 of 1,265 feet per second. This shell struck tho 5J-inch plate near the hole made by 

 tho last Armstrong shell, punched out a clean-cut hole about 9 inches in diameter, 

 and burst in tho toak backing ; beyond blowing out some of the timber, it added very 

 littlo indeed to the injury done by tho Armstrong shell. 



Lynall Thomas's 9-inch gun next missed the target with a round-headed solid steel 

 shot weighing 327 Ibs., fired with a charge of 50 Ibs. of powder, which at 546 feet 

 from the gun, gave a velocity of 1,220 feet per second. 



The same gun next fired a wrought-iron solid flat-headed shot, weighing 302 Ibs., 

 with a charge of 50 Ibs. of powder. The velocity of this shot was not obtained with 

 certainty, it struck partly on the 6J-inch and partly on the 7^-inch armour ; the 

 greatest depth of impression on tho latter plate was 6 inches, and on tho former 4 

 inches. The 7$-inch plate was cracked through a bolt-hole and round the indent, 

 as was also tho 6^ -inch plate, but altogether the injury done was less than had boon 

 expected. 



A hardened steel shot was next fired from the same gun; it weighed 330 Ibs., was 

 round-headed, was fired with a charge of 50 Ibs. of powder, which gavo a velocity 

 of 1,220 feet per second at 25 yards in front of the target. It struck close to the 

 lower edge of the 7-inch plate, and made an irregular indentation, measuring about 

 1 foot by 1 foot 8 inches, and 7 inches deep ; two bolts were broken, one rib broken 

 through, two others much bent, and the skin bulged in. The shot itself broke in half 

 lengthways. 



After this the 300-pounder Armstrong shunt gun fired a spherical wrought-iron 

 solid shot, weighing 163 Ibs. with a charge of 45 Ibs., which at 30 yards in front of 

 the target, gavo a velocity of 1,630 feet per second. It struck tho 7J-inch plate where 

 it had no teak backing, and made an indent 3| inches deep and 1 3 inches in diameter, 

 with a crack on the face of the indent; the plate was considerably bulged in ; and at 

 the back it showed a large starred crack. The shot was flattened out to a diameter 

 of 13 inches. 



The material of which these armour-plates was made proved itself to bo of uniform 

 and excellent quality. 



Tho practical lessons to be learnt from such experiments seem to be these : 



1st. That guns are already in existence which can completely penetrate with shot 

 tho best 7$ -inch armour that can bo made, and which can, with shell, pierce the side 

 of a ship built, as to frame, much more strongly than our best ship, and protected 

 with our best 5J-inch armour. 



2nd. That iron plates can now, with the improved manufacture of the country and 

 tho energy brought out by the occasion, be made of dimensions hitherto quite un- 

 attainable, and yet without losing anything in quality. 



With tho exception of America, other nations have done little or nothing in tho 

 manufacture of guns throwing projectiles over 100 Ibs. in weight. The United States 

 also boast the possession of two large rifled guns. 



1st, an 8-inch gun . . . 175 Ib. projectile, 16 Ibs. charge. 

 2nd, a 10 . . . 250 Ib. 25 Ibs. 



The. Table (p. 249) gives the comparative values of tho British muzzle-loading 

 built-up ordnance and tho American smooth-boro ordnance. 



All cast hollow except tho 10-inch of 5'35 tons. 



All shell-guns except 10-inch 125-poundor. 



20-inch gun only, at present experimental. 



Solid shot are only to be fired from the 15-inch N. S. gun at iron-clad vessels, and 

 then with 60 Ibs. ; 20 rounds may, however, be fired with 60 Ibs. 



The S. B. guns are formidable weapons, although they are merely cast-iron shell- 

 guns. Our guns being made of wrought-iron will not, on failure, break up like cast- 

 iron or steel ordnance ; and from their accuracy of fire, the capacity of their shells, 

 and the power these latter have of maintaining a comparatively high velocity (in con- 

 sequence of their elongated form) the British are in all probability greatly superior 

 as weapons to the American guns. 



Professor Major Owen, K.A., has ably dealt with tho following important question : 



' One of the most important questions at the present time is this: are monster guns 



