288 Mr. Thompson’s Experiments 
parallel to it, which end at the line g 9 /, exprefs the recoil ; 
and the portion of each of thofe lines that is comprehended be- 
tween the line AB and the curve m, n (as w, u) is as the velo- 
city of the bullet in the feveral experiments. The line A, e, 
denotes the weight of the charge of powder ; and the line 
A, m , the velocity with which the elaftic fluid efcapes out of 
the piece, when the powder is fired without any bullet. 
Upon an infpedion of this figure, as well as from an exami- 
nation of the foregoing table, it appears, that the velocities 
determined by the two methods agree with great nicety in all 
the experiments after the 87th; but in the 87th experiment, 
and alfo in the 86th, but particularly in the 85th, the dif- 
ference in the refult of thefe different methods is very ccnfi- 
derable : and it is remarkable, that in thofe experiments where 
theydifagree moft, the velocities of the bullets, as determined 
by the pendulum, are extremely irregular; while, on the other 
hand, the gradual increafe of the recoil as the bullets were 
heavier, and the great regularity of the correfponding veloci- 
ties, afford good grounds to conclude, that this difagreement is 
not owing to any inaccuracy in the new method of afeertaining 
the velocities, but to fome other caufe that remains to be in* 
veftigated. 
But before we proceed in this inquiry, let us feparate the five 
laft experiments in the foregoing table ; and, fumming up the 
velocities determined by the two methods, we fhall fee by their 
difference how thofe methods agreed upon the whole, in this 
inftance. 
Expe- 
