THE 80-TON GUN. 
343 
and that the bore should be 16 ins. If the proportions hitherto found 
best in smaller ordnance could be adhered to in this huge weapon, the 
calibre of 16 ins. would be suited by a projectile weighing 1650 lbs., 
propelled by a charge of somewhere about 300 lbs. of powder. It was 
anticipated that a muzzle velocity of not less than 1400 f.s. could be 
realised without giving rise to undue strain on the material. 
The experience gained by the Committee on Explosives in their 
experiments with other guns—notably, with the 38-ton gun—enabled 
them to speak with some certainty as to the ballistic capabilities of the 
new piece of ordnance proposed. The large-grained slowly-burning 
powder recently introduced was adapted to give high velocity in large 
calibres, with but low maximum pressures in the bore, provided the 
gun was long enough to permit the shot to realise the benefit of a 
slow-burning explosive. Turret-ships had hitherto possessed the incon¬ 
venience of requiring the guns to be so short that, when drawn back by 
the recoil, the muzzle should be a considerable distance within the port¬ 
hole. This was necessary in order that the men might load the gun 
inside the turret; and it need scarcely be said that this defect was 
regarded by the advocates of breech-loading systems as one of the 
highest importance—as, indeed, it was. Fortunately, at this juncture, 
a plan of loading’ outside the turret by hydraulic machinery was put 
forward by the well-known firm of Sir W. Gr. Armstrong & Co. (It 
is understood that Mr. G. Rendel is the member of the firm specially 
connected with the proposal.) 
It would be beyond the scope of this paper to enter minutely into 
the details of the elaborate arrangement by which the ammunition, 
machinery, and men are all placed in perfect security under the deck 
outside the turret; it will be enough to explain that directly the guns 
are fired at the object the turret is rapidly revolved till they come to 
the loading position; that meanwhile the muzzles have been depressed, 
and appear, through a hole in the wall of the turret underneath the 
deck, opposite the hydraulic rammers, which first sponge out the bores, 
deluging them with water by a special contrivance, and then force 
home the cartridge and projectile, which have at that moment been 
raised to the muzzles by another portion of the machinery. This 
excellent arrangement has been fitted to one of the turrets of the 
“ Thunderer,” armed with 38-ton guns, and has proved, so far, exceed¬ 
ingly efficient. Practice makes perfect, even with big guns and 
hydraulics; and at the trial which was lately carried out, the time 
between successive pairs of rounds was soon brought as low as 
2 min. 33 secs. I say pairs of rounds , because both the guns in the 
turret can be loaded simultaneously, and would usually be fired simul¬ 
taneously. When it is reflected that this was the first attempt, and 
that it included traversing the turret round for some distance, and, 
indeed, all the conditions of actual warfare that can be obtained during 
peace, it will, I think, be admitted to promise a great success. 
It is intended to fit a similar contrivance to the (C Inflexible,” the 
only important difference being that the guns will be depressed without 
being withdrawn from the port-hole, so that the chase of the piece 
while protruding from the turret will reach to a protected situation, at 
the loading position, under the deck. It appears that by the adoption 
45 
