ARMOUR AND ITS ATTACK BY ORDNANCE. 
95 
At Shoeburyness, on January 27th (Min. No. 21,888) and 31st, 1890 
(Min. No. 22,014), 6-inch B.L. projectiles (“ pattern 6450 ”), weight 
100 lbs. and 101 Jibs, respectively, and containing 3^- lbs. and 2 lbs. 
15 oz. P. and 10 oz. B.F.Gr. powder, fired with a charge of 48 lbs. of 
powder, and striking at a range of 175 yards, with a velocity of about 
1930 f.s., and energy of 2600 foot-tons, perforated a wrought-iron 
plate, 6 feet x 3 feet + 6 inches, backed with two feet of oak, bursting 
respectively 4 and 3 feet in rear of the backing. 
On July 8th, 1890 (Min. No. 23,584), a 9-incli M.L. cast-steel shell 
(“ pattern 6446 ”) fired with a very low velocity, broke up against a 
4J-inch steel plate, making an indent of 5J inches from face, and a 
bulge at back P6-inch high. 
On December 18th, 1890, and June 13th, 1891 (Min. Nos. 25,442 
and 27,030), forged steel shell, fired from 9'2-inch B.L. gun, with strik¬ 
ing velocities of 1979 and 1953 feet, passed through 9-incli compound 
armour, breaking up. This was considered unsatisfactoiy, as it is 
thought that shells of this class ought to pass unbroken through one 
calibre of steel or steel-faced armour in order to burst effectively 
behind it. 
On July 16th, 1891 (Min. No. 27,452), several forged steel armour- 
piercing common shell were fired from the 6-inch gun at a Brown 
compound plate, 10 feet x 7 feet x 6 inches, with striking velocities 
from 1901 to 1944 f.s., the R.L. and Hadfield shells perforated unbroken 
when fired blind, when charged and plugged or charged and fuzed they 
perforated and burst behind the armour. 
Angular Impact with A.P. Common Shell. 
A series of trials were made to ascertain whether steel armour- 
piercing common shell and also Palliser shell would perforate steel or 
steel-faced armour at a considerable angle, carrying their fragments 
through in such a way as to be effective for service purposes. 
In September, 1891 (Min. No. 28,284), a structura covered with a 
Brown steel plate, 10 feet x 7 feet x 4 inches, with 2J inches of teak 
backing and two f inches of skin was attacked at 25° with the normal, 
or 75° with the plate face, by two forged steel common shell B.L. make impact at 
(pattern 6450), and on September 29th (Min. No. 28,389), two more 7a ° 
of these projectiles were fired, as well as two of Hadfield* s make and 
one Palliser chilled-iron shell. These all passed through the plate, 
breaking up, but carrying their fragments through. 
At Shoeburyness, on October 13th, 1891 (Min. No. 28,398), a forged 
steel armour-piercing common shell, B.L. (pattern 6450), and also a 
Hadfield one, were fired with a charge of 48 lbs., and striking velocity 
of 1944 to 1949 f.s. at the same structure, the angle of impact was 
35° with the normal, or 55° with the plate face. Both shells broke up 55°. 
during passage. The B.L. shell passed wholly through the plate in 
fragments, and of the Hadfield part of the fragments passed through. 
On November 13th, 1891 (Min. No. 38,825), a Palliser 6-inch pro¬ 
jectile filled and fuzed and a cast steel armour-piercing common shell 
were fired at the same target with the same charge, aud with striking 
velocities of 1932 and 1942 f.s. ; and energies of 2588 and 2615 foot-tons 
