Experiments upon Gunpowder'. 77 



may fairly conclude that the principles upon which the 

 theory is founded are erroneous. 



Let us now see how far these experiments differ from 

 the theory. Those numbered from 84 to 92 inclusive 

 were made in such a manner that no part of the force 

 of the powder was lost by the vent or by windage, as 

 has already been mentioned, and all possible attention 

 was paid to every circumstance that could contribute to 

 render them perfect and conclusive. 



A particular account has already been given of them, 

 and notice has been taken of the means that were used 

 for forming the bullets and making them fit the bore, 

 and of the contrivance for preventing the escape of the 

 elastic fluid by the vent. The following table shews the 

 results of them. 



N. B. The charge of powder was the same in each 

 experiment, and consisted of 145 grains in weight. 



Weight of Velocity of the Bullet. 



the Bullet. ' , 



Experiment. Grs Actual. Computed. Difference. 



85 90 2109 



86 251 1430 1262 -fi68 



87 354 1288 1063 -{-225 



88 600 1240 817 +423 



89 603 1224 815 -f-409 

 9 "84 1017 581 +436 



91 1754 893 478 -J-4IS 



9 2 2 35 2 812 413 +399 



The computed velocities, as they are set down in this 

 table, were determined from the actual velocity of the 

 bullet, as determined by the recoil, in the 85th experi- 

 ment, and the reciprocal sub-duplicate ratio of its weight 

 to the weight of the bullet in each subsequent experi- 

 ment ; and in the last column is marked the difference 



