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MINUTES OF PEOCEEDINGS OF 
fire would be most formidable against wooden ships, for which purpose they 
were constructed; they are mere shell guns, and undoubtedly the worst Sir 
W. Armstrong made; but it must be remembered that they were introduced 
without proper experiments, when there was a great pressure for rifled guns, 
and when it was erroneously considered that guns should be made as light 
as possible. The B.L. screw system cannot be applied with advantage to 
guns of such a size, unless the charges are very small; with large charges, if 
the vent-piece is sufficiently thick, it is too heavy to handle conveniently. 
But the 64-pr. and the 40-pr. are excellent guns. 
We come now to the ordnance required for ships of war and coast bat¬ 
teries, which must be constructed to bear very large charges of powder and 
heavy projectiles, so that their fire may prove destructive to iron-plated 
vessels; an object some people seem to imagine the only legitimate one left 
to artillery of the present day. 
It will be sufficient for our purpose to compare the heavy British ordnance 
with those of the Americans, for other nations have done little or nothing in 
the manufacture of guns throwing projectiles over 100 lbs. in weight. We 
sometimes hear mysterious rumours of monster guns supplied to foreign 
governments, but as they are also said to have been made in this country, 
we need not be alarmed. In fact, as we publish the results of our experi¬ 
ments, we cannot be surprised if other nations wait, perhaps wisely, until a 
certain amount of success has been obtained in the manufacture of large 
guns, and that while thus saving their money, they will be enabled to start 
at once with good materials and tried constructions. Of this, however, we 
may be certain, that whatever power possesses the best guns at the com¬ 
mencement of a war will have a great advantage over others not so well 
provided; although such pieces cannot for long be confined to any one par¬ 
ticular service. 
In the table I have only given the American S.B. ordnance. The United 
States have also two large rifled guns.'* 
Gun. Projectile. Charge. 
8-inch . 175 lbs. 16 lbs. 
10-inch . 250 lbs. 25 lbs. 
But as they are hooped cast-iron ordnance, they failed, as might have been 
expected ; and after six had burst in the federal fleet, while bombarding 
Tort Pisher, and 44 men were killed, they were condemned in the strongest 
terms as unsafe by the admiral. 
* They have aiso a few Blakely and other rifled guns, but the Parrott rifled guns are alone 
recognized in their latest official tables; 
