256 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Table II. 
List of Built-up Guns which have fired a large number of Bounds. 
M.L. 
12 -pr. guns,, 
8 cwt. » 
No. 
C 52 
t 10 
f 38 
337 
B.L, 
.4 
40-pi*, guns, B.L., 
32 and 35 cwt. 
7 
8 
18 
243 
125 
610 
631 
98 
206 
54 
114 
174 
237 
363 
j 446 
| 459 
| 532 
| 585 
1JL23 
No. of 
rounds. 
. 2955 
. about 2000 
. 2864 
C With iron tube. 1067 7 one i 
l With steel tube. 2197 > 
. 4417 
. 1085 
. 1515 
. 2629 
. 2695 
. 1038 
. 2353 
C With coiled tube . 1276 7 0907 
I With forged tube . 1961 $ 
... 1615 
. 5615 
. 2512 
. 1754 
. 2461 
. 1998 
. 1176 
. 3605 
. 1116 
. 2960 
. 2059 
Moreover the Report of the Armstrong and Whitworth Committee is 
most conclusive on this point :—After the three 12-pr. (8 cwt.) guns, 
viz., the Armstrong M.L. and B.L. and the Whitworth M.L. guns, had 
each fired about 2800 rounds, the M.L.’s with 1 lb. 12 ozs. powder and 
12 lb. shot, attempts were made to destroy them by firing greatly 
increased charges of both powder and shot, with the following result:— 
At the 42nd round the B.L. Armstrong gun split open, but did not 
burst; at the 92nd round the Whitworth steel gun burst violently into 
eleven pieces ; while the M.L. Armstrong gun failed at the 60th round, 
one of the outer coils having cracked and fallen off without flying into 
pieces. 
The Committee consequently reported iC that guns fully satisfying all 
conditions of safety can be made with steel barrels strengthened with 
superimposed hoops of coiled wrought-iron, and that such guns give 
premonitory signs of approaching rupture; whereas guns composed entirely 
of steel are liable to burst explosively without giving the slightest warning 
to the gun detachment."” 
They also reported that all the guns exhibited a degree of “ strength 
far surpassing the possible requirements of the service.” It would be 
difficult to express in stronger terms confidence in our present service 
construction of guns. 
I have laid great stress upon this point, not only because it is of vital 
importance that our gunners should have the most perfect confidence 
in their weapons, but also because of the statements which have been 
made, which, without drawing any distinction whatever between steel 
alone and coiled iron lined with steel, have tended to depreciate the 
