438 REPORT— 1866. 



From these considerations the following effects arc probable : — 



1st. The 7-inch muzzle -loading rifle-gun of 130 cwt., with a solid steel 

 shot of 100 lbs. and charge of 25 lbs., is capable of piercing the side of the 

 ' Warrior ' up to a range of 600 yai'ds *. 



2nd. The 100-pounder smooth-bore gun (9-inch) of 125 cwt. with a solid 

 spherical steel shot of 10-1 lbs. weight and 25 lbs. charge, is not capable of 

 piercing the 'Warrior' at any distance over 100 yards. 



3rd. The 9-22-inch rifled gun of 12 tons, with a solid elongated steel shot 

 of 221 lbs. and charge of 44 lbs., is capable of piercing the ' Warrior ' up to 

 a range of 2500 yards f. 



4th. The 10-5-inch rifled gun of 12 tons, with a solid elongated steel shot 

 of 301 lbs. and charge of 45 lbs., is capable of piercing the ' Warrior ' up to 

 a range of 2500 yards. 



5th. The American 15-inch giui of 22 tons, with a spherical steel shot of 

 484 lbs. and charge of 50 lbs., is capable of piercing the ' Warrior ' up to a 

 range of 500 yards. 



6th. The American smooth-bore 11-ineh and 9-inch guns, fired with solid 

 spherical steel shot and their maximum charges, are not capable of piercing 

 the ' Warrior ' at any range. 



7th. This vessel could pass batteries armed with 15-inch guns, as above, 

 at a distance of 800 yards without suffering, except by " racldng." 



The Minotaur. — This class differs from the ' Warrior' in having 1 inch of 

 iron armom- jilating substituted for 9 inches of wood backing. 



In the trial of this target, an experimental powder named 2Aj was 

 made use of; and this accounts for the effects obser^^ed with the 10-5-ineh 

 gun. 



It appears that, when the ordinary service, powder was used, the result was 

 something the same as in the case of the ' Warrior.' 



The actual strength of these ships may therefore, in absence of direct 

 evidence to the contrary, be assumed to be equal; but whether the wood 

 and iron, whicli combined form the mass of resistance, have been more ad- 

 vantageously distributed in the construction of the < Warrior ' than in that of 

 the ' Minotaur,' is a separate question. 



On the whole, it may be assumed that the remarks which apply to 

 the ' Warrior ' are equally applicable to the ' Minotaur ' and sliips of 

 her class. 



The Hercules. — This target was by far the strongest ever tried at Shoe- 

 buryness, and accordingly it received the most severe treatment. The pre- 

 liminary experiments were made with the 9"-22, 10"-5, and 10" rifled guns 

 of 12 tons, firing solid steel shot with very high charges. 



It appears that rounds 1041, 1045 broke the 8-inch plate and forced 

 the pieces into the 12-inch wood backing. Both these rounds struck between 

 two ribs ; 1045, however, met with more resistance than 1041, as it struck just 

 over one of tlio liorizontal plates ; the armour plate was thus supported in 

 rear of the point struck by a rigid backing. 



An 8-inch plate unbacked requires 88-6 foot-tons per inch of shot's circum- 

 ference to just penetrate it ; it was to be expected, therefore, that the above 

 rounds should do so. 



* The same result -n-ould probably occur with the present serTico charge for this gun, 

 viz. 22 lbs. and shot of 115 lbs. 



t The same result would occur with the service 0-inch gun of 12 tons. 



