394 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Their fuzes are placed opposite to them. The common and double 
shell are generally fired with the Pettman Gr.S. fuze for sea service, 
but as I noticed last year it is most important to recollect that this 
fuze (which is excellent for sea service) will not act on graze and is 
therefore useless for land service, for on direct impact the time fuzes are 
driven in so as to explode the shells; hence while only occasionally used 
at sea, the sole fuzes issued for land service are the 9 and 20 seconds 
Boxer M.L.O. time fuzes. 
The common shells, though at present unchanged in any way, are 
likely to have their explosive power greatly increased by the introduc¬ 
tion of 
Picric Powder, 
This is the first substance partaking of the nature of a detonating 
composition that has offered a reasonable prospect of safety against 
premature explosion when used as a bursting charge for a shell, and 
while it is very stable in its chemical character, it possesses in common 
with fulminates very much greater explosive force than gunpowder 
(probably about double the force). I need not attempt a discussion of 
the chemical composition of this substance, which has been worked 
out by Mr. Abel in his department and recommended by him in a form 
which seems to be free from the defects generally belonging to com¬ 
positions of a similar character hitherto used by the French and other 
governments. 
The products of explosion are the same generally as those of gun¬ 
cotton—viz. carbonic acid, nitrogen gas, and water, without the genera¬ 
tion of the volatile sulphates and sulphides which mainly contribute to 
the formation of the dense smoke accompanying the explosion of 
gunpowder. Picric powder would generally have less smoke than 
gunpowder, but this is no recommendation for the purposes for which 
it is likely to be adopted. 
Palliser and Steel Projectiles . 
Passing next to Palliser projectiles, I may notice the introduction of 
serge bags now inserted in the shells to prevent friction of powder 
against iron in case of the coating of lacquer in the interior being 
imperfect, and also in case of the presence of any iron particles cut 
from the wrought-iron bush in the operation of tapping, and adhering 
to the lacquer. The operation of lacquering these shells is specially 
difficult, because the shells must not be re-heated after they once cool, 
and it is difficult to catch them in the process of cooling at the precise 
temperature which favours the adhesion of the service red lacquer. 
To avoid the presence of iron in any form, a cold lacquer will be 
applied to these shells for the future, and as an additional precaution 
the bag will be used. 
A more interesting question is that of the relative powers of our 
service chilled projectiles and rival shot of the same class. Good steel 
projectiles have been made, but some of the processes of manufacture 
are very tedious, and in the present state of development of the art 
the work is apt to fail: thus they are not only outrageously expensive, 
