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tube to impart the rotatory motion to the rocket case, it 
would be necessary to rifle the outside of the rocket 
case to correspond. This could be added in several 
ways to the present cases. One method, which would 
be inexpensive in degree, would be to force the rocket 
case into a rifled sheet iron tube — these tubes could 
be easily made of thin sheet metal in a draw bench, 
on a rifled mandril, by means well known to mechan- 
icians. In this way we should have a rifled rocket 
case which would receive a rotatory motion at the com- 
mencement of its flight from the rest. If the friction 
caused by the rifling proved objectionable, possibly by clos- 
ing the end of the tube rest an additional impetus at the 
commencement of the flight of the rocket would be obtained. 
A small charge of gunpowder, or preferably one of gun 
cotton, placed at the end of the rocket composition during 
the manufacture, might be the best method of overcoming 
the friction. A new form of rocket stand would unfortun- 
ately be required under these new conditions. If rifled 
rockets proved a success, it would be easy to give the cases 
the proper rifling to commence with. As I have before 
stated, iron tubes of the desired strength according to size 
of rocket, could be drawn on rifled mandrils. I should 
prefer that the rifling of the outside and inside of the cases 
should correspond, and should expect that the issue of the 
ignited composition through the rifled interior, would mater- 
ially assist in continuing the rotation after the rocket had 
left the rest, acting in the same manner as Mr. Hale’s 
oblique orifices. Considerable accuracy of aim might be 
obtained without rifling the rocket case. If we wish to give 
an arrow precision of flight, we affix feathers to one end of 
the shaft to act as rudders, and if these feathers are placed 
exactly in a line with the shaft, we have directive power 
without rotation. I would therefore propose experiments 
to be made by attaching thin metal feathers to the rocket 
