THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
107 
REPORT OF AN EXPERIMENT CARRIED ON AT SHOEBURYNESS, ON THE 
21st JUNE AND 7th DECEMBER, 1865, BY THE ORDNANCE SELECT 
COMMITTEE. 
[Communicated by direction of the Secretary of State for War]. 
(1) To test the powers of resistance of the “ Hercules ” target No. 26, 
when attacked by the most powerful guns at present known. 
(2) To ascertain the relative penetration of shot cast in chill, and steel 
shot when fired from the same gun, with similar charges. 
The target 18'*2 x 8' was con¬ 
structed by order of the Lords 
Commissioners of the Admiralty, 
and represents the construction 
about to be carried out for 
the protection of the iron-clad 
“ Hercules ” in the neighbour¬ 
hood of the water line. 
The upper half of the target 
is faced with 9" of iron, the lower 
half with 8", behind both plates 
is 12" of horizontal timber divi¬ 
ded by 4i horizontal iron plates, 
then a skin consisting of two 
f" plates; the whole being 
secured to the ribs which are 
10" deep filled in between with 
vertical timber. Behind the ribs 
are two linings of horizontal tim¬ 
ber 18" deep, not bolted, but 
confined by 7" iron ribs inside 
all. 
Thickness at bottom exclusive of -the 7" ribs, 47J", at top 51J". The 
bolts are 3"; those on the left section are ©f Major Palliser'’s design • those 
on the right are of the ordinary form. 
The 9" and 8" plates were manufactured by Messrs Cammell and Co., of 
Sheffield. J 
The weight of the structure per square foot is about 689 lbs. for 9" plate; 
652 lbs. for 8" plate; or double the weight of the “ Warrior” target. 
The guns used in this experiment were as follows :— 
On the 21st June. 
One 10"‘5 shunt rifled gun of 12| tons, Experimental No. 203, range 200 yards* 
One 10"* „ b 12 tons, „ 245, 
One 9"*22 „ 12J tons, „ 222, 
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