20 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
in Woolwich, if we cannot discuss these matters well, we ought to be 
ashamed of ourselves. 
To commence my summary, the systems we have will group them¬ 
selves very fairly under the three heads of—1. Projectiles for heavy 
guns. 2. Those for siege guns and guns of position. 3. Those for 
field guns. 
To commence with 
Heavy Guns . 
These are 13", 12", 9", 8", and 7"-—all Woolwich guns. 
Now with these, and indeed all rifled ordnance, it will be found, 
speaking generally, that shells will, in the long run, supersede solid 
shot, and probably all shot (case excepted), and the reasons are obvious. 
With smooth-bores, shot had certain peculiar advantages which 
enabled them to hold their own—viz., from the fact that all spherical 
projectiles were of one form, and all fired from the same gun were one 
size instead of one weight, it followed that the momentum of solid shot 
was greater than that of shell; and hence they kept up their velocity 
better, and had a flatter trajectory. Besides this, there was something 
to be said for the ricochet of a round shot as compared with the 
bursting of a shell. But neither of these advantages hold in the case of 
rifled projectiles; for by increasing the length, the shell may be made 
up to the same weight, and so given the same momentum and tra¬ 
jectory as the shot. This power of bringing all projectiles for each 
gun to the same weight, is one of the numerous advantages possessed 
by rifled guns over smooth-bores; but it is also obviously a great 
advantage for the shell as compared with the shot. The ricochet of 
rifled projectiles in all cases being nearly worthless, deprives the shot 
of the other advantage; and, in addition to this, the weight of the 
shell being distributed round the outside, gives it a longer radius of 
gyration, and hence a more powerful rotation and increased accuracy. 
May we not, therefore, conclude that such unequal competition must 
eventually end in favour of the shell, where it has not already so 
terminated. 
I may further notice, with reference to the Woolwich guns, that the 
calibre, charge, and pitch of rifling are such that the length for accurate 
shooting necessitates a hollow in the projectile; for a solid projectile 
properly proportioned for shooting with these guns—that is, from two 
to three calibres in length—would exceed the weight intended for them, 
and would strain them. 
The projectiles for these guns at present stand as follows :—• 
Common shell, 
Double shell, 
Boxer shrapnel shell, 
Palliser shell, 
« cored shot, 
Case shot. 
The double shell is simply a common shell prolonged so as to take 
an increased bursting charge. Being too long for good shooting, it 
is intended chiefly for firing at wooden ships at short ranges. It exists 
only for the 7" calibre, weighs nearly 160 lbs., and contains about 
12|lbs. of powder. I mention it first in order to be able to consider 
