MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
220 
22. The recorded ranges in Table II. are, as a series, confused by a slight 
difference of angle, and by considerable differences in the weight of the 
shells; but by correcting, as we have already done, for some of the former, 
and expressing the charges in proportionate parts of the shells they fired 
respectively, we reduce the whole to one series, as follows 
Table Y. 
Ranges of Shells of?&'§ ins, diameter, and an average weight of 2594 lbs, 
at 45°, for charges bearing given proportions to their weights. 
Weight 
of 
shell. 
Charge. 
Range 
Round. 
Weight. 
Prop. 
C 
P 
reduced 
to 
$ = 45° 
Observed 
t . 
Observed 
e 
1 
lbs. 
2376 
lbs. 
10 
•0042 
vds. 
“373 
secs. 
degs. 
2 
2362 
20 
•0085 
907 
13-0 
— 
3 
2596 
30 
•0115 
1287 
17-0 
—. 
10 
2940 
40 
•0136 
1531 
16-9 
66-0 
11 
2940 
40 
•0136 
1497 
16-1 
59-9 
12 
2940 
40 
•0136 
1474 
15-0 
68-9 
13 
2940 
40 
•0136 
1444 
16-8 
49-9 
8 
2660 
40 
•0150 
1629 
17-3 
62-0 
9 
2660 
40 
•0150 
1687 
17-5 
64-9 
14 
2416 
40 
•0165 
1700 
17-75 
65-5 
5 
2986 
60 
•0167 
1738 
20-0 
_ 
4 
2352 
40 
•0170 
1718 
19-0 
— 
15 
2403 
60 
•0208 
2120 
21-5 
52-0 
16 
2373 
50 
•0210 
2100 
20-0 
58-0 
6 
2604 
60 
•0230 
2280 
24-0 
— 
17 
2385 
60 
•0251 
2323 
21-0 
— 
7 
2548 
70 
•0275 
2654 
— 
_ 
18 
2400 
70 
•0292 
2758 
24-5 
— 
19 
2395 
80 
•0338 
2759 
23-0 
62-0 
23. The range of the first shell, with only 10 lbs. of powder, which 
astonished every one who witnessed it, is greatly out of proportion. It 
should apparently have been about 290 yds. only. The range of the last 
shell, with a nominal charge of 80 lbs., is also unaccountable, except on the 
supposition that a mistake was made in the number of cartridges counted 
in, which, on consideration of all the circumstances, I believe to have been 
the case. The charge was contained in serge bags, each containing 5 lbs. or 
10 lbs. of powder; the space left in the chamber was filled with sawdust, 
and a rope wad or mat was placed at the top for the shell to rest on. The 
pressure on the sawdust would have a tendency to compress it into a solid 
wad ; and it is conceivable that a charge of 10 lbs., overcoming very slowly 
the inertia of a mass of 2876 lbs., would produce this effect, and close all 
escape of gas more perfectly than any larger charge. With these two 
exceptions the observed ranges fall into a very regular series, beyond what 
could be expected from single shells, with such small increments of velocity. 
24. The angles of descent ( 0 ) were measured on a plane 14Jft. below 
