THE EOYAL AETILLEEY INSTITUTION. 
277 
ratio of tlie diameter of tlie bore to the weight of the bullet affects the 
velocities of the various rifles. 
Table II. 
Comparative Table of Velocities of Rifles used by the English, French, 
and German Infantry . 
Distance. 
Chassepot. 
Martini- 
Henry. 
Snider- 
Enfield. 
Needle gun. 
yds. 
f.s. 
f.s. 
f.s. 
f.s. 
0 
1391 
1334 
1262 
991 
50 
1288 
1254 
1147 
951 
100 
1199 
1182 
1054 
914 
150 
1120 
1119 
992 
882 
200 
1054 
1064 
946 
— 
250 
1009 
1021 
905 
— 
300 
971 
988 
868 
— 
350 
938 
958 
— 
— 
400 
908 
932 
— 
_ 
450 
880 
908 
— 
— 
500 
855 
885 
— 
— 
The Snider has a muzzle velocity of 1262 f.s., but owing’ to its large 
bore, the resistance of the air reduces the velocity to 1147 f.s. in the 
first 50 yds., thus losing 115 f.s. in 50 yds.; while the Martini-Henry 
starts with a muzzle velocity of 1334 f.s. and only loses 80 f.s. in 50 yds. 
The distances at which the velocities of the respective bullets would 
be reduced to about 880 f.s. are for 
yds. 
Martini-Henry . 500 
Chassepot . 450 
Snider-Enfield . 284 
Needle gun. 150 
This will give some idea of their respective ranges. The'Martini- 
Henry and Chassepot rifles fire the same weight of charge (85 grs,), but 
different weights of bullets (the Chassepot bullet being about 100 grs. 
lighter)—consequently it is projected with a greater velocity, viz._> 
1391 f.s. as against 1334 f.s. in the Martini-Henry : but the bore being 
larger proportionally to the weight in the Chassepot than in the Martini- 
Henry, that velocity is more quickly reduced; so that at 150 yds. from 
their muzzles, they have the same velocity (1120 f.s.), and at about 
350 yds. the Martini-Henry bullet catches up that of the Chassepot, 
and goes ahead of it increasingly; and so ranges farther. 
The same state of things takes place when two projectiles of different 
weights are fired with the same charge of powder out of the same gun. 
For instance, the 3-inch wrought-iron and steel muzzle-loading gun of 
8J cwt. if fired with a charge of 1 lb. 12 ozs. and a 91b. shell, has a 
higher muzzle velocity than when fired with the same charge and a 
12 lb, shell; but in the former case the velocity is more quickly reduced 
by the resistance of the air on account of the greater sectional area it 
