THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
381 
The percussive force of the common shell depends on the weight of the 
projectile and its remaining velocity: practically some idea of the amount 
of this force is attained by the penetration of the shell into or by the 
amount of injury done to the object fired at. It is to be remarked, that 
the form of the nose of the shell, the proportionately large mass to small 
diameter and the great remaining velocities are much in favour of both 
penetration and destructive effect. 
No experiments have been made as to the amount of penetration of the 
3-pr. common shell in earth and woodwork, &c., and as to its mine-like 
effect. Nevertheless we may accept it as a fact that the 3-pr. common 
shell may be used effectively against objects of no great strength, such as 
wooden roofs, &c., and that its percussive force is sufficient so far to injure 
a gun or its carriage as to put it hors de combat . 
As to the case-shot like effect of the 3-pr. common shell, the following 
table gives full information; it should be added, that for a maximum effect 
the fall and burst of the projectile should take place within a few yards of, 
or absolutely in the object. 
Table 
OF THE HITS OF THE SPLINTERS OP THE 3-pi*. COMMON SHELL, FIRING- AT 3 WOODEN 
TARGETS 41 yds. APART, MEASURING 35 yds. LONG BY 4 yds. HIGH. 
Distance of graze 
of shell from first 
wooden target. 
Number of bits 
Range. 
In the first. 
In the second 
and third. 
Total. 
Remarks. 
yds. 
414 
yds. 
29 
8 
3 
11 
A 3-pr. common shell with a bursting 
830 
21 
6 
2 
8 
charge of 4’8 oz. breaks up into 2 large, 
13 medium, and 20 small splinters. The 
1244 
33 
4 
2 
G 
small splinters weigh 0 f 6 to 1*8 oz.; the 
medium 1*8 to 3oz. The splinters effec¬ 
1659 
23 
3 
1 
4 
tively command a space of from 124 to 
330 yds. long by 124 to 166 yds. wide. 
The effect of the shrapnel shells and case shot is to be found in the data 
of par. 27. The 3-pr. shrapnel shell exploded by its charge of 1*7 oz. 
bursts into 
32 small splinters, weighing from 0‘3 to 1*8 oz. 
8 medium „ „ „ 1*8 „ 3*7 a 
2 large „ „ „ 6*2 „ 14*8 « 
giving a total of 42 effective splinters, not reckoning the bullets (55) in 
the shell. 
[vol. VI.] 
50 
