432 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OF 
Finally. The gun and all its fittings having been inspected, and found in 
exact accordance with the sealed pattern, is issued for service. 
Marked progress in Heavy Artillery during the last jive years. 
In conclusion, I would remark that the tests and trials bearing on this- 
question, while exemplifying the pains taken to obtain the best war materiel 3 
cannot fail to satisfy the most sceptical that the present construction of our 
heavy guns is sound and durable, and the general result must be gratifying 
to the authorities who approved of the system five years ago. 
Indeed the past lustrum must always be a marked epoch in the history 
of our heavy artillery; for 7-inch, 8-inch, 9-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch guns 
have been made in numbers, and the system is applicable to still larger 
guns—nay, tracings have been actually furnished of 700-prs. of 35 tons, 
800-prs. of 40 tons, and 1000-prs. of 50 tons, and the guns can be manu¬ 
factured whenever the Secretary of State for War thinks fit to order them.* 
But this progress in the production of heavy ordnance cannot be fully 
appreciated unless the difficulty of perfecting a more powerful gun than 
previously existed is properly considered and understood. In the first 
place, the practicability of manufacture and the durability of structure must 
be ascertained. The weight, calibre, length, system of rifling, weight and 
shape of projectile, &c. &c., must be all scientifically calculated so as to 
ensure excellence in range, accuracy, and penetration; and then each and all 
of these constructional details are liable to alteration should the thorough 
trial of a specimen gun at Shoeburyness render any amendment advisable. 
The sights too must be made, graduated, and adjusted, and finally the gun 
has to be vented—no easy task in the higher natures, as already observed. 
Mr. Reed, Chief Constructor of the Navy, maintains that corresponding 
progress has been made in our ship building:— 
£C It is but five years ago that Parliament was discussing the practicability of 
carrying 6-|ton guns at sea, especially in broadside ships; we have now 12ton 
guns fought at sea with perfect ease, in many of the broadside ships of the Mediter¬ 
ranean and Channel squadrons, and the Hercules has long been cruising about, 
both at home and abroad, with 18 ton guns worked most satisfactorily at the broad¬ 
side in ports 11 feet above the sea, and with a horizontal range of fire which no 
unarmoured ship’s broadside guns possess. The Monarch has cruised successfully 
in heavy weather with 25 ton guns mounted in turrets. None but those who are 
hopelessly prejudiced can now doubt that, whether they be placed in turrets or out 
of turrets, the largest guns can be worked successfully with terrible effect at sea, and 
in heavier weather than the small guns of old could be fought. ,5 f 
Surveying the whole question, therefore, by the calm light of facts and 
figures, I think it may fairly be asserted that, up to the present at least, 
England has not lost her naval supremacy. 
# 6000 tons weight of guns of various calibres could be made in the Royal Gun Factories in one 
year. A good way of calculating the time necessary for the manufacture of one gun, supposing the 
work to be continued without interruption, is to allow a week for each inch of calibre— e.g., seven 
weeks for a 7-inch gun, nine for a 9-inch, and so on. 
f “ Our Iron-clad Ships.”—1869. 
