108 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
The result of this competition, upon which the O.S. Committee* * reported 
3rd Feb. 1863,t proved that cast-iron was altogether too weak and pre¬ 
carious a material for rifled guns. 
The trial was then extended to wrought-iron guns, rifled on the respective 
systems of Commander R. A. E. Scott, R.N., Mr Lancaster, Mr Jeffrey, and 
Mr Britten, who with Messrs Lynal Thomas, Hadden, Nasmyth, and 
Whitworth, were rivals in the cast-iron competition. 
At the request of the O.S. Committee, a gun rifled with Trench grooves 
was added, and finally a shunt gun also was tried in comparison with the 
others. 
All the guns selected for competition were 7" muzzle-loading guns of 
7 tons, built on the Armstrong coil principle, and having inner barrels 
of steel. 
Commander ScotFs gun was rifled in five grooves, which were shallower 
on the loading side than on the driving side, which was curved with a view 
to obtain a perfect centering for his shot. His rifling had a uniform spiral 
of one turn in 294 inches. Fig. 2. 
His projectile at first had simply five iron ribs, with two very small 
copper studs inserted in the driving face of each, but afterwards the ribs 
were faced with zinc. 
* The Ordnance Select Committee at that time consisted of— 
• Brigadier-General St George, C.B., R.A., Presidents 
Capt. Sir W. Wiseman, Bart., R.N. 'I 
Brevet-Colonel Hogge, C.B., R.A. j 
Brevet-Colonel F. A. Campbell, E.A. }> Members'. 
Lieut.-Col. R. S. Baynes (Unattached). | 
Lieut.-Colonel Gallwey, R.E. J 
Brevet-Colon el Lefroy, R.A., Secretary. 
The Report is published in the “Proceedings,” R.A. Institution, Yol. III. p. 323, as well as iii 
the O.S. Committee Extracts, Yol. I. p. 174; 
f Great delay occurred in consequence of the competitive guns not being ready; Mr Whitworth, 
for instance; did net deliver his gun in a rifled state until August, 1862, 
