POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
HITTING THE MAKE ; OR, CANNON-BALLS AND 
THEIR STRIKING VELOCITY. 
Br G. WEST ROYSTON-PIGOTT, M.A., M.D., Cantab. M.R.C.P., 
Late Fellow oe St. Peter’s College, Cambridge, and 
Fellow oe the Cambridge Philosophical, the Royal Astronomical, 
and Microscopical Societies, Author oe “ The Harrogate Spas.” 
[PLATE LX VII.] 
E VERY few years, we are now accustomed to hear of cam- 
paigns on a most stupendous scale being fought, lost or 
won, in a great measure by superiority of modern artillery. 
The nation which has the best field-gun and can strike the 
most rapid, overwhelming, and hard-hitting blows at long 
range, demoralises the foe before he has a chance to hit again. 
Electricity for conveying orders, and explosive missiles de- 
spatched at fabulous distances, enable concentric masses to 
annihilate the enemy, innocent of such resources of the modern 
art of killing the greatest number in the least possible time. 
Soleerino, Sadowa, and Sedan hissed a sad sarcasm, from 
the vainglorious vanquished, whilst Europe rang with sym- 
pathetic echoes, trembling at the fall of embattled hosts, 
destroyed for lack of knowledge. Yet the philosophy of pro- 
jectiles seems only just now beginning to be understood. A 
practical working knowledge of the effective energy of shot 
hitting a distant mark is of more importance now than ever. 
In face of the European dramas so recently played out before 
our eyes, the question of striking energy, or distant velocity, is 
now of supreme, it may be hereafter of tremendous interest, as 
involving the very destinies of the country. 
Here is a question of apparent simplicity which our artil- 
lerists could not recently solve. 
If a 9-inch 250 lb. cannon-ball strikes an object 200 feet 
distant with a velocity of 1,400 feet per second (1,400 f. s.), 
VOL. X. — NO. XXXVIII. B 
