82 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OE 
which the fire hole is closed. 1 On the impact of the fuze against a hard 
substance 2 the ball is exploded and the flame flashed through the tube into 
the shell. 
The S.S. Pettman's fuze is used with all naval spherical shells, and, 
“ pending a decision upon the question as to the fuzes to be finally adopted 
for the M.L. rifled guns,” with all shells for muzzle-loading rifled guns, 
having the “ Moorsom ” fuze hole. 3 
It has not been recommended for' use with the Armstrong B.L. guns, 
because owing to the ball lying in the axis of rotation, and to the absence of 
any lateral movement of the shell in the bore—any lateral concussion—it 
has been supposed that the steady plug and ball could not be depended upon 
to disengage when the shell struck direct. Sufficient experiments, however, 
have not been made to determine this point with any certainty, and indeed it 
seems probable, looking to the results of such experiments as have been 
made, that in practice the fuzes would act in B.L. rifled guns in a greater 
majority of cases than theoretically might have been expected. 
P. S. Since the above was written experiments have been made on a 
large scale with a Pettman “ Universal fuze ”—a fuze which is available 
with smooth-bore and rifled ordnance, both breech and muzzle-loading. 
The result of these experiments has been so successful that this fuze has been 
recommended for provisional adoption. 
It would obviously be premature to furnish a detailed description of this 
fuze until its adoption has been formally approved and notified, and I reserve 
the account which I propose to give of it until it is actually in the service. 
I would observe, however, that the adoption of this fuze will not make a 
study of the details of construction, and an acquaintance with the principle 
of action of the existing Pettman’s Land and Service fuzes above described, 
Jess interesting or important to Artillery Officers, because (1) These fuzes 
may in any case be expected to be retained in use until the large existing 
stores are exhausted; 4 and (2) The principle of action and even the majority 
of the details of construction are common to the “ Universal” fuze, which 
is in fact only the present S.S. fuze ingeniously modified to ensure action 
with breech4oading rifled shells, and altered somewhat in external form. 
1 The entrance of powder dust is now prevented by the cardboard disc in the tube, see p. 81, 
note 3. 
2 See page 80, respecting these fuzes not acting on water. 
3 W. O. C., No. 7 (New Series), § 1117. See P.S., however, where the decision of this question 
is indicated. 
4 About 125,000 L.S. and 182,000 S.S. fuzes have been made. 
