THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
477 
per second weighed over 12^ lb., was about 4J inches in diameter, and 
was fired with 4 lb. powder, while the rifled sphere weighed less than 
3Jlb., was less than 3 inches in diameter, and was fired with 1J lb. 
powder. The lengths of the bores of the two guns were in totally 
different proportion to their diameters, the windages were different, 
and the descriptions of powder also different. 
So that there were actually six independent causes of variation in the 
velocity besides the one of smooth and rifled barrels, all of which were 
either overlooked or ignored by Sir Joseph Whitworth. 
And yet, from the circumstance of both guns being called 12-prs., 
his argument at p. 106 of the “ Blue-Book” appears plausible enough, 
and no doubt convinced others as well as himself. 
To recapitulate. We are threatened with a fresh trial of the 
Whitworth system of guns, rifling, and projectiles in the shape of a 
35-ton gun—a size nearly one-half larger than any gun hitherto com¬ 
pleted in this country, and about three times the size of any as yet 
constructed by Sir J. Whitworth. 
This trial is partly induced by the unsatisfactory mutual relations of 
the Amiralty and War Office. 
The expense will be great, but a much stronger argument against 
the trial is the heavy drag which it will prove to our scientific artillery 
progress. 
Several instances have been cited showing the difficulties which have 
been encountered in trying to decide questions when they have, by 
injudicious process of experiment, become entangled with others. 
The existing heavy guns of the service, up to 25 tons weight, have 
been most extensively tried, and have proved eminently successful, as 
regards strength and durability, range and accuracy, as well as in their 
power of piercing armour-plates. 
They are approved of in both services, and the professional advisers 
of the Admiralty and War Department do not ask for an alternative 
system. 
On the other hand, the trials of the Whitworth system present a mass 
of failure, with here and there a few instances of success. In the most 
important feature, the structure of the gun, it has always been a follow¬ 
ing, not a leading system. Thus, when the Whitworth manufacture 
had reached the stage of a 4-ton gun, others had, by a steady increase 
from size to size, attained the magnitude of a 22-ton gun; and it is 
also noticeable that to this day the four heavier natures of Whitworth 
guns as advertised have never been tried, being in fact only paper 
guns. 
The system has been tried abroad, both in Europe and America, in 
actual service, and has failed in the same manner as at home. 
The professional advisers of the Admiralty and War Department 
concur in its rejection. 
And yet it is seriously proposed to try a Whitworth 35-ton gun, 
because Sir J. Whitworth has invented a new metal which, from his 
private and special experiments, appears likely to prove a great success, 
and is therefore worthy of trial. 
The obvious course to pursue, if the metal must be tried, is to advance, 
