PENETKATION OF IRON PLATES BY STEEL SHOT. 



425 



Let us uow examine the results of the various experiments given in the 

 Appendix Tables*. 



The Lord Warden. — It appears from round 813, that this vessel could be 

 completely penetrated by a steel shot of 0-14 inches diameter, striking with a 

 storcd-up work of 2G42 tons. 



The gun in this cr.sc used a reduced charge of 30 lbs. "We learn from this 

 that, had the full charge, viz. 44 lbs., been used, it vrould have been equivalent 

 to a removal of the gun to something over 1000 yards from the target. 



The 9-22-inch gun of 12 tons, with an elongated steel shot of 221 lbs. and 

 charge of 44 lbs., is therefore capable of completely piercing an iron-clad 

 vessel of the * Lord Warden ' class at 1000 yards. 



We have before mentioned that recent experiments have indicated that for 

 complete penetration through iron, the " work '' must vary as the diameter 

 of the shot nearly. 



If, therefore, we were to use a 10-5-inch gun against the ' Lord Warden,' 

 the force required to obtain the same effect as that accomplished by the 9-22- 

 inch with a striking- "work" of 2G42 tons, would be expressed by the following 

 proportions : — • 



9-14: 2642:: 10-43 :.r; 



and we find x = 3015. 



The 10-5-inch gun would therefore require a force of 3015 tons to com- 

 pletely penetrate the ' Lord Warden.' That this reasoning is nearly correct, 

 we find by observing the eflects of round bOG, where a steel shot of 10-43 

 inches diameter, struck with a "work" of 2S98 tons, and failed to get com- 

 pJetdii throu(/h. 



In the same manner wc can approximately determine the effect which would 

 be produced by any other steel shot of given diameter and 's^'eight. 



Let us take, for example, the 15-iuch and 11-inch cast-iron smooth-bore 

 guns used in the United States. 



The first of these guns would tlu-ow, p^o^ddcd they had such projectiles, a 

 spherical steel solid shot of 484 lbs. weight, and 14-85 inches diameter, with a 

 maximum battering charge of, say, 50 lbs. 



The second gmi would fire a steel sohd shot of 189 lbs. -svilh a charge of 

 20 lbs. 



The following Table shows the remaining velocities of these projectiles at 

 various distances, with their corresponding stored up " work :" — 



Table YIII. — Showing the remaining velocities and " work" of spherical 

 steel solid shot fired from 15-inch and 11-inch guns. 



From this Table we can approximately determine the eftcct of 15-inch and 

 11-inch steel projectiles. Thus, assuming that the penetration varies in- 



The projectiles are assumed to ctrike direct. 



