18 BARRELS. 



observations to that effect. But had they gone to the 

 press, I should have been open to the criticism of every 

 good experimentalist : for I have since discovered, that 

 the larger the gun, the longer it must l)e in proportion; 

 because the further the shot has to travel, the greater 

 the resistance of the atmosphere. In addition to my 

 own experiments I am indebted for the perusal of several 

 observations (which corroborate my opinion on them) 

 to that excellent engineer, General Shrapnell, of the 

 Royal Artillery. I shall, therefore, say no more by way 

 of argument, but lay before my readers one of the clearest 

 proofs, selected from the number I have made : 



TRIAL, taking the average of several shots, at twenty 

 sheets of thickest brown paper, at a target, placed in 

 the middle of a sheet of water, in order that all by- 

 standers may see fair play, as to correct shooting : 



Distance, 90 yards : shot BB. 



A best finished London duck-gun : weight of the 

 barrel, 591bs. : bore, 1 inch : length, 5 feet 8 inches. 



No. of grains in Ditto through Ditto through 



1st sheet. 12th sheet. 20th sheet. 



26 10 8 



A Birmingham gun : weight of barrel, 691bs. : bore, 

 14 inch : length 7 feet 9 inches. 



1st sheet. 12th sheet. 20th sheet. 



50 35 22 



I then sent my gun to Mr. Durs Egg, desiring him 

 to get the same barrel forged, by Fullerd, one foot ten 

 inches longer, making it seven feet six inches ; and by 

 means of unavoidably being obliged to reduce the metal 

 after joining it, the barrel, when sent home, was scarcely 



