THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
263 
as one a design for which had been prepared in the Royal Gun Factories; 
the other to be made of bronze, with only such differences from the 
wrought-iron gun as would be necessitated by the difference of material. 
It was recommended that both guns should weigh from 11^ cwt. to 
12 cwt., with a preponderance not exceeding 10 lbs.; that their calibre 
should be between 3’5ins. and 3* * * § 7 ins., whichever might be found 
best suited to a shrapnel shell weighing from 16 lbs. to 17 lbs., and a 
common shell about 3 calibres in length; and the rifling should have a 
uniform pitch of 1 turn in 30 calibres ; and that the service charge should 
be 3 lbs.”* 
Acting on the above recommendation, the Superintendent Royal 
Laboratory, on the 29th September, submitted drawings of shrapnel and 
common shell for a 3*6-in. calibre, to weigh respectively 16*5 lbs. and 
16 lbs.f 
The Superintendent Royal Gun Factories, on the 8th October, 1870, 
submitted a drawing of a 16-pr. wrought-iron muzzle-loading rifled 
shell gun of 3’6-in. calibre. J 
Thus the officer responsible for the ammunition, and the officer res¬ 
ponsible for the gun, both selected 3*6 inches as the most suitable calibre. 
These drawings being approved, the manufacture of the experimental 
guns and ammunition was sanctioned. 
Subsequently, the trial of the bronze gun was deferred, but the 
wrought-iron 3*6-in. gun was issued on the 3rd January, 1871, and 
first fired at Shoeburyness on the 17th January, 1871. This gun 
weighed 11 cwt. 2 qrs. 211b.; calibre, 3*6 inches; length of bore, 
68‘4 inches; length of gun over all, 78 inches. It fired common shell of 
161b. weight and 'lib. 1 oz. capacity, with a charge of 31b.; and 
double common shell of 25 lb. weight and 1 lb. 8 oz. capacity, with 
1J lb. charge. 
The result of the trials led the Committee, on the 23rd January, 1871, 
to report that the “ range and accuracy are very satisfactory; the recoil 
appears to come within manageable limits; and they are of opinion.that 
the manufacture of such guns as are required for the service may be 
at once proceeded with up to the point of rifling.” § 
These recommendations were approved, and the manufacture of the 
guns was ordered to proceed, 2nd February, 1871.|| 
On the 17th February, the author of “ Flat Trajectories ” read a paper 
entitled “ The Merits of a Large Bore and Small Bore Contrasted,”^ 
in the theatre of the Royal Artillery Institution. 
This paper advocated the adoption of a 3’3-in. calibre for the 16-pr. 
gun of 12 cwt., on the grounds—that the power of the gun would be 
increased in the proportion of 1469 to 1234—these figures representing 
the weight of the projectile in pounds divided by the square of its 
* “Report I., 16-pr. Rifled Muzzle-loading Field Gun.” 1872. p. 2. 
f “Extracts,” Vol. VIII. p. 342. 
X Ibid. p. 343. 
§ Ibid. Vol. IX. p. 55. 
|| Ibid. 
“Proceedings R.A. Institution,” Vol. VII. p. 273, 
31 
