104 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OF 
The trial accordingly took place, but as at that time Mr Whitworth did not 
propose any gun of his own construction, and had only rifled government 
blocks of brass and cast-iron, the Armstrong breech-loading gun which was 
complete in every respect was, as we have seen, adopted. Nothing daunted, 
however, Mr Whitworth carried on a series of private experiments, and 
having perfected his plans, he obtained such good results with his guns that 
he again challenged the rival system which the government had adopted. 
The Armstrong and Whitioorth Committee appointed. 
A special committee* was then appointed, 1st June, 1863, to examine and 
report upon the different descriptions of guns and ammunition proposed by 
Sir W. Armstrong and Mr Whitworth. 
The enquiry was to embrace the comparative qualities of the several 
systems with respect to range, accuracy, endurance, ease of working, cost, 
&c., the fitness, in short, of the guns and ammunition for the various 
purposes to which ordnance may be applied either in land or sea service. 
The committee accordingly made patient and extensive competitive 
experiments with Whitworth 12-prs. and 70-prs., Armstrong 12-prs. and 
70-prs. breech-loaders, and Armstrong 12-pr. and 70-pr. muzzle-loaders; 
the 12-prs. having been chosen to decide the question for field artillery, 
whilst the 70-prs. were the best available representatives of heavy artillery, 
comprising siege, garrison, and broadside guns. 
Both natures of' the Whitworth guns were muzzle-loaders, and had his 
well-known hexagonal rifling, and mechanically fitting projectiles. 
The 12-prs. were of solid mild steel (having trunnion rings screwed on 
to them), with a hoop of the same material over the powder chamber. 
The 70-prs. were of the same material, but consisted of an inner tube 
closed by a breech-screw and strengthened by hoops pressed on cold by 
hydraulic pressure. 
The Armstrong breech-loaders were constructed with steel barrels, and 
with wrouglit-iron coils superimposed as usual, but the 12-prs. had the 
ordinary breech screw arrangement, and the 70-prs. were upon the w r edge 
system. 
His muzzle-loaders also had inner barrels of steel; they were rifled on the 
shunt principle, for projectiles with soft metal studs. 
After a searching examination of important witnesses, and complete and 
comprehensive trials which cost £35,000 for stores alone, the committee 
concluded their labours, on the 3rd of August, 1865, which is the date of 
their reports. 
The results of these experiments were very creditable to both inventors, 
especially as regarded the construction of their respective guns, each of 
wdiich after firing about 3000 rounds was only burst at last by abnormal 
means. 
* This Committee consisted of Major-General Rnmley; Major-General A. J. Taylor, R.A .; 
Colonel J. W. Ormsby, R.A.; Captain T. Wilson, R.N.; Colonel J. L. A. Simmons, R.E.; Major 
C. F. Young, R.A.j Mr J. C. McDonald ; Mr S. Rendel,- Major H. S. Dyer, R.A., Secretary. 
