i8yi.] British Service Ordnance. 365 



the latter grooved on the French principle, and the former 

 on the same modified. The first gun was intended for 

 Indian service only, and so marked in No. 5 list, but the note 

 to this effect has been removed in this year's list. We now 

 come to the first change, viz., in the cast-iron guns with an 

 inner barrel of coiled wrought-iron. In No. 5 list there was 

 only one in the service, viz., a 64-pounder of 71 cwt. (the old 

 8-inch smooth-bore altered). This year's list gives two more 

 64-pounders as added to our service ordnance, viz., an 

 altered 68-pounder for Indian service, and a bored-up 

 32-pounder, both land service guns ; all the 64-pounders 

 are plain grooved, and also take the 32-pounder smooth bore 

 ammunition. 



The great change of the year, however, is undoubtedly the 

 next item on the list ; not as regards diameter of bore, but 

 as regards weight and strength, an immense stride has been 

 made. The list of wrought-iron guns last year was headed 

 by the 12-inch gun of 25 tons weight, and perhaps more 

 popularly known as the 600-pounder. The 12-inch is now 

 preceded by the apparently reduced diameter of n*6 inch, 

 but under the heading of nominal weight and in the column 

 which represents tons appear the ominous figures 35. 

 These figures may well cause dismay to those gunners who, 

 knowing the difficulty they have experienced in mounting 

 25-ton or even 12-ton guns, look forward to the questionable 

 pleasure of having to place a " Woolwich Infant" in posi- 

 tion ; and considering that whole pamphlets have been 

 written on the mere mounting of 12-ton guns at Malta,* we 

 may expect large volumes on the handling of this infant 

 monstrosity. Fortunately only one appeared at birth, 

 although it is possible that Mr. Cardwell ardently desired 

 twins, but the Woolwich factory is again in travail, and we 

 may shortly expect an addition or two to the wrought-iron 

 family. This latest gun, the gun of the period, is at 

 present intended for sea service only, and will not impro- 

 bably be placed on board the Devastation now building at 

 Portsmouth. 



After the 12-inch gun another 25-ton gun; the 11-inch 

 is an addition to the list ; the 10-inch, g-inch, 8-inch, and 

 two 7-inch guns remain in statu quo. All the above wrought- 

 iron guns are rifled on the Woolwich system. To the three 

 sea service 64-pounder shunt guns which succeed next 

 in order, there is added this year a fourth plain grooved for 

 land service. The remaining additions to last year's list of 



* Proceedings of the Royal Artillery Institution. 



