208 MR. J. NASMYTH ON WAR ROCKETS. 



be as well to allude to the means that have been employed 

 in the endeavour to secure to war rockets rifle action or 

 precision of flight. These consist in placing the rocket in 

 a V-shaped trough, by which the direction and inclination 

 of the rocket is suitably secured previously to commencing 

 its flight, and so far holding the rocket fair in the direction 

 of the object aimed at. 



Besides this, an endeavour is made to give the rocket 

 axial rotation during its flight by causing the propulsive 

 gases, while issuing at the rear of the rocket, to rush 

 tlirough skew holes. This latter arrangement does, to a 

 certain extent, give to the rocket axial rotation. But, as 

 axial rotation given by such means does not come into 

 efiective operation until the rocket has proceeded a long 

 way on its course, it comes into action too late to have any 

 influence in securing precision of flight. 



In order, then, to eff'ect our object, I place the rocket 

 inside a tube (into which it slides freely) ; to this tube, 

 which serves to secure the aim of the rocket, I give, by 

 mechanical means, an axial rotation of some thousands of 

 revolutions per minute, which is transmitted to the rocket 

 then resting within it. 



The rocket, while thus revolving on its axis at the high 

 velocity above named, is then fired, and so rushes forth 

 from its guide-tube impressed with all the conditions of a 

 perfect rifle projectile, and, as such, with every condition 

 present that can secure its reaching the object aimed at. 



Reference to the diagram which accompanies this paper 

 will enable the reader to obtain, as I trust, a clear idea of 

 the mechanical means and arrangements by which I pro- 

 pose to effect the object in question. 



It consists of a suitable iron stand, supporting the rocket 

 and its guide-tube A, the guide-tube resting on loose fric- 

 tion wheels, which, while preserving with the utmost ex- 

 actness the direction of the axis of the guide-tube and 



