410 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Action of buffer. 
Method of en¬ 
suring uniform 
burning of fuze 
composition. 
British service. The piston rods are connected to a transom, 
which slides on rails inside the sides of the platform, and which 
can he connected at will with the carriage. 
When the gnn is “ run up,” the piston rods are home in the 
cylinders, which are fastened to the front of the platform. On 
firing, the transom (with the rods) slides up the sides of the 
platform, thus keeping the rods in their proper position, and pre¬ 
venting any jolting or unequal action. The weight of the gun 
and carriage is sufficient to “ run the gun up ” into the firing 
position without assistance, and the gradual return of the fluid 
through the piston-heads checks effectually the velocity attained. 
The platform has a slope of 8°. 
The inspection of the method in use of ensuring the uniform 
burning of fuze composition, brought my visit to a close. 
A definite quantity of composition is inserted in a leaden 
cylinder. This cylinder is extended by hydraulic pressure into 
a tube of considerable length. This is divided into a number of 
equal parts. One of these portions being placed in the head of a 
fuze in the form of a ring, is found to burn with extreme accuracy; 
being thoroughly protected from the increased pressure of the 
air, and the composition being uniformly distributed. 
Time admitted of no further examination into many other 
objects of great interest to the artilleryman. Enough, however, 
was seen to persuade one that, young though Italy may be as a 
nation, the unrivalled genius of her people has left her little to 
learn, in the artillery branch of military science.* 
Woolwich, 
November, 1873. 
* The bulk of the “ plant ” in use at the Turin arsenal is of native manufacture. 
