90 
ARMOUR AND ITS ATTACK BY ORDNANCE. 
made on a target of 560 square feet. This represents a very small 
portion of a ship’s deck. The Nile’s deck is about 22,080 square feet. 
As to perforation, a 44-inch deck resisted the projectiles in such a way 
that no structure would have suffered seriously if protected by the 
above deck, and the second round mentioned above, which rebounded, 
appears from the indent to have struck as fairly as could be expected, 
and, as it was only broken at the point, it may be questioned if a forged 
steel projectile would have produced more effect under the same condi¬ 
tions. 
Krupp’s Krupp followed up his early experiments on attack of ships’ decks 
( see Meppen trials, 1879) by further tiring with a 28 cnl (11-inch) 
howitzer, 1 2 which at 45° elevation carried a projectile weighing 216 kg. 
(476*2 lbs.) a distance of 9864 metres, or over six miles. The time of 
flight was 47*6 seconds. The longitudinal deviation 119 metres (390*4 
feet) and lateral, 49 metres (160*8 feet). Cast-iron shells broke up 
against 75 mm (3-inch) deck plates, bendiug them but slightly, but 
completely broke 50 mm (2-inch) plates. An armour-piercing steel 
shell 255 kg. (562 lbs.), with a velocity of 135 metres (442*9 feet), 
meant to imitate a falling projectile, shattered the 3-iuch p ] ate and 
remained intact. A chilled-iron shell of 230 kg*. (507 lbs.), with 175 
metres (574 feet) velocity, passed through a 3-inch plate at 60 degrees. 
Much in these last trials depends on the words “ meant to imitate.” 
A projectile fired poiut first at a plate, whether directly or obliquely, 
is in a very different position from one falling with its axis even slightly 
askew to its direction of motion. This is one main disturbing element 
in vertical attack. 
In 1890, 3 Krupp fired a 28*55 cm (11*25-inch) howitzer, weighing 
10*83 tons on a 45-ton bed with armour-piercing projectiles of from 
512 to 936 lbs. weight, at a deck target 52 feet x 13 feet, composed 
of four steel plates rivetted together, the three upper ones making up 
a thickness of 76 mm (2*99 inches) and the lowest 13 mm (0’51-inch), 
total 31 inches. This was backed with iron ribs and wood. At a 
range of 3870 yards (2*2 miles), the greatest longitudinal deviation 
was 95 feet, and lateral, 27 feet. One hit was obtained with 6^ feet 
longitudinal and 19 inches lateral deviation. The striking velocity 
was 610 feet and angle of incidence 46^ degrees. The target was 
pierced and supports bent, and projectiles found 5 feet in the earth. 
At 63° elevation one hit was obtained at the same range with 5 feet 
longitudinal and 20 inches lateral deviation. The striking velocity 
was 751 feet and angle of incidence 66°. The projectile perforated, 
and was found uninjured 4 feet deep in the ground. Of two series 
(26 rounds in all) 20 would have struck a target representing the 
Centaur’s deck, that is 360 feet long and 60 feet beam. 
J S n i 89 i k On March 19th and 20th, 1891, at Kwannonsaki 3 in Japan, a curved 
steel deck structure, 59 feet x 17*3 feet, was attacked by vertical fire. 
The deck consisted of three thicknesses of Creusot deck steel plates 
1 See article by C. G. L’Estrange in “Illustrated Naval and Military Magazine,” also “ Bras¬ 
sey’s Annual,” 1890. 
2 See “ Engineer,” October 31st, 1890, and “ Brassey’s Annual,” 1891. 
3 See “ Engineer,” June 5th, 1891, “ Brassey’s Annual,” 1892, 
