MODERN GUNPOWDER AND CORDITE. 
287 
had half this ill-treatment one would have wished for a sea range, and 
a clear one, to fire over, and should certainly have protested against 
ordinary proof within twelve miles of London. 
Thirdly, the effect on the weapon. 1 This may perhaps, and indeed is 
likely to prove the weakest point.in the use of cordite under certain 
conditions. The small-arm magazine rifle undoubtedly suffers in the 
bore from the great heat evolved and the high velocity imparted to the 
projectile. On the other hand, we have at Waltham Abbey a 4*7 inch 
quick-firing gun which has fired, up to September last, over 40 rounds 
of black and 249 rounds of cordite, and yet the bore shows no abnor¬ 
mal erosion or scoring. We have also a 12-pr. B.L. constantly used, 
up to the same date, for firing pebble and cordite, and the bore is as 
smooth as could be expected. 
In conclusion, we must all remember that, although smokeless 
powders have developed so rapidly, and have shown such great suit¬ 
ability for the guns with which they have been used, they are still in 
their infancy, and have not yet been subjected, on any large scale, to 
the stress of active operations in the field, engagements at sea, or 
lengthened storage in average magazines. So far as our experience 
goes, however, the results have been eminently satisfactory with our 
own smokeless powder, CORDITE. 
DISCUSSION. 
The Chairman — I may say that Colonel Barker will be very pleased to answer 
any questions that any gentleman may wish to put to him. 
As regards the effect of temperature. Does not heating the cordite disturb 
its shooting qualities, and would you not expect abnormal results if it were fired 
hot? Say at 110°Thr. 
Colonel Barker —-Heating cordite and firing it hot undoubtedly does disturb 
its shooting qualities, but as far as we can see not much more than gunpowder. 
I fear that we must always expect abnormal results with heated propellants— 
either gunpowder or cordite; and when fired hot the increase in pressures and 
velocities will depend upon the heat above the normal or average temperatures at 
which firing takes place. 
Captain Orde Browne —Is it not true, as I think Captain Andrew Noble told 
me, that in some experiments in Spain they had a low velocity from their powder 
wherever they had been keeping it, and he recommended them to keep it in the 
sun, and they were astonished at the w T ay the pressure went up ? 
Colonel Barker —That is so, I believe. 
Captain Orde Browne —Would that be due to the temperature, or to the 
moisture that had been absorbed and got rid of; and would not cordite have a 
great advantage in that respect? 
Colonel Barker —Cordite ought to have an advantage, because, if you sub¬ 
ject gunpowder to a heating and cooling process, combined with the effect of 
1 Since writing the above, the lecturer has been informed that in the - 303 magazine rifle, this 
difficulty has been almost overcome by the use of a suitable wad. As regards the erosion in guns, 
vide the information given by D.Gf.O.-F. in his remarks during the discussion. 
