THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
265 
Firstly tlie heavy projectile, when moving even with a much lower 
velocity than the light one, will have more work stored up in it and 
will consequently have greater penetration and destructive effect when 
fired against houses, field works, or artillery carriages, for, firing 
against troops, though the principal work of field guns, is not all that 
they may be required to perform. 
Again the segment and shrapnel shell will contain a larger number 
of pieces or bullets, in the proportion of 56 to 42 or -Jrd more, not 
taking into consideration the greater number of fragments from the 
body of the shell. 
But the most important point is that the projectile retains its velocity 
for a longer time. The 9-pr. projectile, fired with special powder, has 
an initial velocity of rather over 1400 ft., and the 12-pr. fired with the 
same charge of 1 lb. 12 ozs. would start with a. velocity of about 
1250 ft. a second; if the charge be increased to Jth, or 2 lbs., the 
velocity would then be about 1300 ft. a second. Now the diameter of 
both being the same, the lighter shot will lose its velocity, from the 
resistance of the air, much more rapidly than the heavy one, so that 
the respective velocities at 1000 and 2000 yds. would be in round 
numbers those shewn in the following table :— 
Table IY. 
Table shewing the Velocities of 9-pr. and 12 -pr. Projectiles, 
Charge. 
Weight of 
shell. 
Velocity at 
Muzzle. 
1000 yds. 
! 2000 yds. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
• 
1-75 
9 
1400 
1000 
840 
1-75 
12 i 
1250 
980 
860 
2 
12 
1300 
1010 
880 
This shews that, supposing the two projectiles to be fired with the 
same charge If lbs., the 9 lb. one will start with a much higher velocity 
(150 ft. more) than the 121b. one, but that its velocity falls off much 
more rapidly, so that at 1000 yds. range the difference is only 20 ft, and 
at 2000 the tables are turned and the 12 lb. projectile will be moving 
faster than the 9 lb. one. 
Practically both shot will have sufficient velocity to be effective at 
short ranges, but the 12-pr. will actually surpass the 9-pr. at between 
1400 and 1500 yds., and will consequently be far superior to it at all 
ranges above that, and, the longer the range, the more will this 
superiority tell. If the charge with which the 12 lb. projectile is fired 
be increased to 2 lbs. or -|th, you see that it will actually have a higher 
velocity than the 91b. one even at 1000 yds., and therefore be very 
much more effective at all ranges above that distance. 
Now, in these days of accurate B.L. small-arms, will it be advisable. 
