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MINUTES OF FllOCEEDINGS OF 
in the opposite direction, leaving his theory for the time to take care of 
itself as best it may. Thus we find that out of seven Krupp steel guns of 
large calibre, which is all that he can enumerate in testimony of the 
endurance of this ordnance, 1 no less than four are of the solid construction 
—the construction which is admitted to have failed, and which is now 
abandoned. 2 
This leaves us, on Captain von Doppelmair* s own showing, with only 
three heavy Krupp guns of which the endurance test has been in his opinion 
markedly satisfactory. One of these was the Tegel gun, and in what manner 
the endurance of that weapon was established, and how far the gunmakers 
themselves are satisfied with the performance, we have already seen. The 
second was another 9J--inch 14J-ton gun, which fired no charges heavier than 
43 lbs. of prismatic powder 3 —a charge which it was proved at Tegel left the 
gun far behind its lighter and smaller English rival in penetrative effect. 
The third was the Krupp 11-inch gun, which has fired 400 rounds of heavy 
charges of prismatic powder. 4 It is therefore easy to understand why 
Captain von Doppelmair insists so emphatically upon his convenient theory 
that “from the trial of one specimen, a judgment can be formed as to all 
guns of the same description. - ” We shall presently consider from another 
point of view how far this principle may properly be applied to steel guns. 
With regard to the English guns, Captain von Doppelmair lays down a 
totally different axiom, viz. that “ from the trial of one gun, a conclusion 
cannot be come to as to all guns of the same description.” With this view 
we so heartily concur, that we do not care to trouble ourselves with com¬ 
menting on the unfairness of applying to the English guns a touchstone 
which is rejected when we are dealing with steel guns. 
Taken by itself, then, we have no sort of objection to make to the principle 
here enunciated, beyond the obvious objection that it is one of universal 
application, and that it is not open to Captain von Doppelmair to except 
from its operation the guns which he has made it his business to extol. 
The principle of basing our confidence in any system of gun, on the trials, 
not of isolated specimens, but of a large number of guns, and feeling our 
way by repeated and careful experiments until our confidence is fully and 
fairly established, is the only sound, the only safe and rational system upon 
which to proceed. It is to the application of this very principle that we 
are ever anxious to appeal, for evidence of the superior character of the 
English guns. It is at this point that we are most distinctly at issue with 
partisans like Captain von Doppelmair, who desire us to recognise the 
safety and durability of guns, whether of steel or any other material, upon 
exceptional trials of a few specimens, and who enunciate the extraordinary 
theory that the particular class of guns which they advocate needs no 
extended trials. We shall presently show that steel guns, more than any 
others, require to be subjected to the test of extended experience, before they 
1 Doppelmair, pp. 72-74. 
2 “ The Prussian artillery are having hoops added to the solid steel guns in stock.”—Doppelmair, 
p. 85. 
3 Doppelmair, p. 73. 
4 Ibid. Also, pamphlet giving result of trial of the 11-iricli gun. 
