256 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
in the above reasoning ; but the following table will show that the mean 
range of this gun at 2° elevation has been wonderfully uniform. 
There cannot, therefore, be any manifest discrepancy in the range at 
2° given by the 3*6-in. gun during the trial in question. 
Table VI. 
Table showing the mean ranges observed, on various occasions, of 
common shells (16-lb.) fired with charges of 31b. from the 3'6-in. 
16-pr. gun. 
Date of 
experi¬ 
ment. 
Direction 
No. of 
rounds fired. 
Brand of 
Observed ranges, j 
of wind. 
powder. 
Min. 
Max. 
Mean. 
\ 
yds. 
yds. 
yds. 
17. 1. 71 
Cheeked.* 
20 
1637, R.L.G. 
1144 
1245 
1186 
1. 2. 71 
1 
■ 
20 
1637, R.L.G. 
1087 
1130 
1115 
26. 4. 71 
U 
* 
20 
1637, R.L.G. 
1106 
1234 
1185 
8. 6. 71 
II 
20 
1637, R.L.G. 
1152 
1208 
1187 
25. 8. 71 
f 
II 
10 
1637, R.L.G. 
1160 
1226 
1186 
7. 3. 72 
<> 
10 
1630, R.L.G. 
1175 
1229 
1198 
11. 3. 72 
II 
10 
1630, R.L.G. 
1136 
1192 
1168 
25. 8. 71 
t 
II 
10 
fL.G., Curtis - ) 
(and Harvey.I 
1116 
1219 
1183 
25. 8. 71 
t 
It 
10 
L.G., 1870. f 
1086 
1142 
1121 
It appears from this table, that with the exception of the practice 
carried out on the 1st July and 25th August, 1871, there is a marked 
uniformity in the mean ranges observed at 2°. 
The two exceptional ranges are probably due, in the one case to a 
head wind blowing against the shot, and in the other case to the use 
of the inferior description of powder already alluded to. 
Let us now consider the question of recoil. 
I wish here to direct the reader's attention for a moment to Table V. 
He will there observe an important note that possibly may have been 
overlooked by the author of “ Flat Trajectories." 
It appears that note c to Table V. informs us that the figures 18 ft. 
2 in., which are given as the recoil of the 3‘3-in. gun at 2° elevation, 
are a mean of 4 rounds. 
But 20 rounds were fired. Why, therefore, has not the recoil of the 
other 16 been included ? Because it was checked l 
Table V. is an abstract, and merely gives mean results, but the 
following tables, taken in extenso from the Shoeburyness report, give 
the result of each individual round fired from the guns at 2° elevation. 
* By means of sand-bags, placed six feet behind the wheels. 
f From broken up cartridges. 
