1 873.] Recent Changes in British Artillery Materiel. 339 



IV. Colonel Erskine's committee has finished its labours, 

 and it is satisfactory to find that they have observed 

 throughout their investigations a marked superiority in 

 wheels constructed in the Royal Carriage Department in 

 regard to quality of material and workmanship over those 

 made elsewhere. 



The committee prosecuted their inquiry under two dis- 

 tinct heads, viz. : — 



1. Wheels. 



Experiments were made with eleven different patterns of 

 wheels, consisting of — 



A. The service wood, with Madras nave. 



B. Messrs. Perkins and Son. 



C. Messrs. Sterne and Co. 



D. The Phantom Wheel Company. 



E. Messrs. M'Neill and Brothers. 



F. Sir W. G. Armstrong and Co. 



G. Messrs. Brown, Marshall, and Co. 



H. Superintendent of Machinery, Royal Arsenal. 



I. Colonel Clerk, R.A. 



K. Royal Carriage Department composite wheel. 



N. Messrs. Holmes and Brothers. 



The only wheels which passed through the trial of 

 travelling the prescribed distance of 1500 miles over 

 macadamised roads, rough country, and paved roads, were 

 those marked A., B., F., K. 



After the close of the experiments the committee pro- 

 ceeded to ascertain the relative degrees in which these four 

 patterns possessed the properties, enumerated below, of a 

 thoroughly efficient wheel for transport service, viz. : — 



1. Strength and endurance to withstand the strains and 



wear to which it is liable on service. 



2. Non-liability to rapid deterioration through climatic 



exposure in the field. 



3. Capability of being easily and quickly repaired in the 



field. • 



4. Lightness. 



5. Power to resist the injurious effects of long storage. 



It was found that the four patterns stood in order of 

 merit as follows : — K., F., B., A. 



The distinctive features as regards material of the wheel 

 thus proved to be the best, being iron for the felloes, tire, 

 and nave, and oak for the spokes. 



The committee give without hesitation their opinion that 

 iron may be advantageously used for making naves, felloes, 



