THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
69 
EXPERIMENTAL CASEMATES AT SHOEBURYNESS,* 
[Published by Authority of the Secretary of State for War,] 
Result of preliminary fire, 18th May, 1865, against the experimental 
granite casemate erected at Shoeburyness, for the purpose of testing the 
effect of modern artillery on the piers between the iron shields of the 
casemated works. 
Charge 
Length. 
Diameter. 
ins. 
ins. 
19 0 
7 75 [ 
19-5 
8-25 
at 1000 yards range, 
„ 600 
Range 200 yards. 
No. of rounds. 
Charge. 
Elevation. 
Allowance for 
deflection. 
Penetration. 
Remarks. 
lbs. 
/ 
/ 
ins. 
1 
30-25 
2 
9 
Struck inner corner of stone of arch of right casemate 
breaking three stones. Cracks extending to the left 
casemate. Concrete on top of piers slightly cracked, 
and four feet of the new brickwork of parapet dislodged. 
Inside brickwork a little shaken, cracks appearing. 
Shot broke up. 
2 
39-00 
23 
5 
18 
Struck on joint of 3rd and 4th course. Broke away an 
area 4' x 6' from face of masonry. Centre and lower 
jamb stone of left casemate moved in towards shield f". 
Inside ,—Cracks more numerous and lengthened. Shot 
rebounded 6 yards, cracked at head and set up. 
3 
30-25 
30 
5 
24-5 
Struck 1ft. below last. Jambs right and left forced in. 
Right centre jamb broken 1 ft. 10 in. frcm shield, and 
driven in 3 ins.; other jambs variously injured. Inside, 
—brickwork a good deal shaken and cracked, the 
cracks extending to crown of arch, and centre pier 
much cracked and loosened at sides. The cracks 
tend upwards and inwards from bottom. Shot broke up. 
Rounds 1 and 2. Elongated steel shot, hemispherical head, weight 220 lbs., diameter 9*15 ins., 
length 13-4 ins. 
Round 3. Elongated cast-iron shot, conical head (service shot), weight 218 lbs,, diameter 
9’15 ins., length 16-0 ins. 
* Extracted from Yol. III. of the Extracts from the Reports und Proceedings of the Ordnance 
Select Committee. 
[VOL. VI.] 
10 
