202 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Before a bronze steel gun could burst, the outer layers would stretch 
40o/o^ so giving a safety like that obtained when over a somewhat 
brittle steel tube, we place a jacket of ductile wrought iron. 
Atmospheric action so injurious to steel would affect bronze steel but 
little. 
The cost of construction, not taking into consideration the value of 
the material, is stated to be as follows :— 
Steel tube, Austrian Manufacture (Mwtin’sStee 1 ...about £100 
(.Crucible „ ... „ £120 
Bronze steel tube ... ... ... ... ... „ £35 
Not only would the cost be less, but the time necessary for manufac¬ 
turing a gun would be much reduced, while as before mentioned, 
Austria could at once supply herself with the new field armament 
required. 
We now see by what experiments General Yon Uchatius, starting 
with certain data, arrived step by step at what he considers to be the 
proper alloy, method of casting and mode of subsequent treatment by 
which a gun may be made of bronze steel, which gun shall possess all 
the advantages as to hardness and strength, which to be gained by 
constructing it of steel, while it would be free from the danger of 
bursting explosively, and also be far cheaper, both as to material and 
manufacture.* * * § 
The results of his experience certainly promise well, but the crucial 
test of the correctness of his views must of course be the trial of guns 
so made, as compared with similar pieces of steel or other material. 
As yet we only have full details of the trial of one field gun, con¬ 
structed of bronze steel in the manner described. 
This piece is a 8*7c B.L. gun,t of the same weight as the service 8 
bronze M.L. gun, i.e., about 10 cwt. The B.L. apparatus consists of 
a single coin with Broadwell ring, which acted very well.J 
In 1874 over 2000 rounds were fired with service charges, viz., 
3*3 Tbs. of a large grained powder, and a shell weighing 14*37 Tbs. ;§ a 
muzzle velocity of 1475 f.s. being obtained. || Since that it has been 
still further tested, so that up to April 1875, more than 2558 rounds 
had been fired from this gun without its being rendered unserviceable, 
or showing any sensible diminution of accuracy of fire. Indeed, a 
series of firing after the 2558 th round, gave most satisfactory results as 
to accuracy, the targets being at a distance of about 1650 yards, and 
the mean error being about 1*7 ft. vertically, and 2*8 ft. laterally. 
* It is calculated that on the whole the present guns could be transformed, at a cost 
of three-fourths of the sum required for the supply of new steel pieces. 
f The physical properties of the metal composing this gun are given in Table A. 
j Four rings had to be used successively during the firing of the 2558 rounds; the first 
stood 647 fires, the second 1005, and the third 673. 
§ Rotation being given by 4 copper rings, secured in undercut grooves round the shell, 
which rings are cut into by the lands. 
|| Under similar circumstances and to the similar charges and the same powder, the 
steel 8‘7 C B.L. gtm tried gave a muzzle velocity of 1498 f.s. 
