TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 2.21 



niauder Harvey's towing-torpedoes would, in addition, be usefid to sweep the 

 deeper waters. 



On the Martini-Ifenri/ and WcstJei/-IiicJiards Itijles. 

 By WiLLiAii P. Maksiiall, C.E. 



The author stated that more than five years had elapsed since a Government 

 Commission reported unanimously in favour of arming the whole British infantry 

 with breech-loading guns ; and in 18G5 a Government advertisement invited pat- 

 terns for the proposed arm. A committee of investigation examined the patterns 

 sent in, and at the end of 1868 they recommended the adoption of the Martini 

 breech mechanism, with the Henry rifling and the Boxer ammunition. The breech- 

 closing arrangements in this combination were considered by practical men to be 

 mechanically defective, but the bore of the barrel, the turn of the rifling, and the 

 weight of the projectile gave excellent results as regards accuracy, trajectory, pe- 

 netration, and rapidity of fire. In the breech-action the principle of the falling- 

 block for opening the breech when loading, which was a previous x\merican inven- 

 tion, was generally admitted to be the best that had been suggested, and so far the 

 ai-ni justified the decision of the committee; but the faults said to exist in it were 

 in the striking-spring, the mode of lifting the falling-block, the arrangement of the 

 trigger and locking-bolt, and the mode of attachment to the stock. All these were 

 said to be so defective in principle, that they could not answer when made in large 

 quantities, although a few rifles might be so made that no great fault should be 

 detected in a limited trial, while the arms were new ; and it was urged, conse- 

 quently, that to adopt such a rifle would not be a mechanical credit to the country. 

 Since the end of 1808 the committee has been endeavouring to perfect the arm, and 

 several different patterns of it have been made at Enfield ; but it still retains its in- 

 herent defects and objectionable features. In the Westley- Richards rifle, however, 

 while all the approved points of the Martini-Henry rifle were retained, these defects 

 in the lock mechanism had been removed by a very ingenious and simple applica- 

 tion of the ordinary principles of construction of a gun-lock that have been con- 

 firmed by the long experience of previous arms. The barrel of both being satis- 

 factory, the question was as to the lock ; and the author considered that it was very 

 desirable that further investigation should be made before the Government finally 

 adopted auj' rifle for our army. In the ISIartini-IIenry the most important defect 

 was, that the falling-block was lifted bj' a lever acting near the centre of motion, 

 which was mechanically objectionable, whereas in the Westloy-Richards the 

 falling-block was lifted by a longer lever acting at the extremity' of the block, 

 at the greatest distance from the centre of motion. In the Westley-Iiichards 

 the stiilter for firing the cartridge was actuated by a long flat spring, and had 

 li inch length of stroke, giving a sharp blow on tlie rear of the cartridge ; but 

 in the Martiui-IIenry a short stiff spiral spring was employed, giving only 

 3| inch length of stroke to tlie striker, which was objectionable mechanically, 

 and not so certain in firing, nor so durable as the other arrangement. The above 

 views of the respective merits of the two rifles were confirmed by some of our 

 most eminent mechanical engineers, Messrs. Hick, Ponn, Barlow, and Greenwood. 

 Having stated these facts, the author went on to argue that, as the two kinds of 

 rifle appeared to admit of equally safe and expeditious handling, and to be of equal 

 shooting-power, the question between them resolved itself into one of mechanical 

 construction. The military members of the committee had done their work well ; 

 the distinctive military requirements were satisfied by either weapon, and accuracy 

 of shooting had probably reached its limit, as the results of the prize-shooting had 

 not improved in the recent jear's competitions. What was wanted was a fresh 

 and independent committee, containing some experienced mechanical engineers, for 

 the purpose of determining points of mechanism on\j. There was, however, an- 

 oth(!r question of almost equal importance, and that was the ammunition. The 

 first pattern of Boxer cartridge recommended by the committee had been with- 

 drawn, and another, that was as defective, had been substituted for it. This had 

 a case larger than was required to contain the proper charge, and consequently re- 



