230 
MINUTES OF PKOCEEDINGS OF 
Gun. 
Charge. 
Propor¬ 
tion of 
charge to 
weight 
of shell. 
Elevation. 
5° 
6° 
7° 
8° 
9° 
10° 
11° 
12° 
13° 
14° 
15° 
7-in. B.L.B. (72 cwt.) 
64-pr. B.L.B.| 
! 40-pr. B.L.E. 
lb. oz. dr. 
3 9 9 
3 0 0 
2 9 2 
2 4 0 
2 9 9 
2 2 10 
1 13 11 
1 10 0 
1 5 14 
1 2 12 
1 0 6 
i 
25 
•So 
TVS 
1 
To 
sir 
■57T 
sV 
i 
40 
sV 
1T5 
1 
40 
560 
485 
420 
385 
668 
476 
470 
408 
498 
444 
360 
670 
575 
500 
455 
767 
560 
550 
480 
588 
526 
430 
780 
665 
580 
525 
858 
640 
615 
544 
678 
610 
500 
885 
750 
660 
590 
944 
720 
680 
609 
763 
690 
565 
985 
830 
74' > 
655 
1027 
800 
740 
66b 
850 
766 
631 
1080 
910 
800 
720 
1110 
870 
790 
720 
930 
835 
700 
1175 
980 
860 
780 
1190 
940 
834 
776 
1006 
900 
765 
1270 
1050 
920 
835 
1260 
1010 
875 
820 
1080 
967 
830 
1350 
1120 
975 
890 
1307 
1076 
917 
857 
1150 
1028 
890 
1425 
1185 
1030 
940 
1347 
1135 
953 
880 
122 
1090 
950 
1500 
1240 
1086 
986 
1376 
1190 
990 
900 
1290 
1147 
1005 
Iii obtaining* these ranges, and in tlie practical use of the table after- 
wards in firing with very reduced charges at an earthen battery, it was 
curious to observe the effect of the heated gas of the exploded powder 
on the lead-coated projectiles. These having been exposed for a com¬ 
paratively long time to its action, more of the surface lead was vaporised, 
and the smoke assumed consequently a deeper yellow tone than is 
customary when firing with the full charge. The bores of the guns 
became much more foul, and “ shots ” of lead were frequently found 
melted off in them. 
“The Committee on High Angle and Vertical Fire from Kifled 
Howitzers and Mortars” have, in their last report, which has been 
published, recommended an 8-in. howitzer, with a twist of 1 in 16 
calibres, and throwing a shell of 180 lbs., for permanent works of defence 
as well as for siege purposes; but the tables in the appendix of the 
report only furnish us with three cases in which the howitzer was 
fired so as to fulfil the conditions under which the breaches were made 
at Strasburg, viz.— 
Charge. Yds. 0 ' 
4 lbs. or :jM h gave 846 with 10 24 
it it it 1058 ,i 13 19 
10 lbs. or ,i 1147 u 5 16 
and in the latter the recoil appears to have been excessive, as “ the 
breaching rope broke, 1st and 2nd rounds.” 
It is to be desired that tables be prepared with reduced charges for 
such guns as we shall use for our siege works in future, and that our 
artillerymen should be practised in making up the cartridges for, and 
working the guns with, these reduced charges; as we see in the extract 
from the report that “ a want of training on the part of the gunners 
delayed the completion of the breach.” 
If high canvas targets, hidden behind earthen screens, could be used 
for practice with reduced charges, our artillerymen could be rendered 
much more efficient in this particular than they at present are. 
Unfortunately, we have only a Martello tower on the coast to destroy 
now and then, and consequently we are not likely to obtain much 
instruction in a more satisfactory way. 
January. 1873. 
