MEPPEN EXPERIMENTS. 
281 
the back, but very difficult to bend up the corner at the extremity 
of the back in a similar way. The fact that laminated armour resists 
the penetration of ogival shot less than solid plates is, I believe, due 
to this sliding of the layers on each other, and I should conclude that 
a plate that had yielded in this way was a badly rolled one. The actual 
tearing and separation of the plates further exhibited cinder between 
the layers. 
Lastly, the steel of the projectile appeared to be excellent, and its 
sharp head, struck with a radius of 2 diameters, probably favoured pene¬ 
tration, and perhaps specially favoured it in the form in which it was 
effected. It will be interesting for those who have the opportunity of 
watching the trials with our new forms of projectile to notice whether 
there is a tendency in well welded plates to open out under the lateral 
thrust of the sharper joint, when it would tear off under the more direct 
pressure of the blunter ogival. 
To sum up, the features which chiefly concern us in these extra¬ 
ordinary trials are 
1st. The success of the breech-loading system. 2nd. The great 
results obtained as to power and accuracy of fire, due probably in a 
great measure to the use of prismatic powder. 3rd. The muzzle- 
pivoting and non-recoil systems. 
Although these have been noticed in the short relation already given, 
one or two words may be useful to lead on to a discussion. First, it 
must not be supposed that equally good results have not been obtained, 
as to power, in this country when guns have been made in accordance 
with the conditions arrived at by our recent experiments, as may be 
seen from the following examples. Tivo years ago the new type Elswick 
6-in. gun was fired with a charge of 33 lbs. and a projectile of 82 lbs., 
the initial velocity being 1902 ft. and total energy 2057 ft. tons; and 
in March last the same gun, with a charge of 37*5 lbs., discharged a 
projectile of 82 lbs. weight with a velocity of 2031 ft., having 2362 
ft. tons total energy. With this may naturally be compared Krupp's 
5’9-in. gun, fired at Meppen last August , with 33’1 lbs. charge, and with 
projectiles weighing 88*2 and 112*5 lbs., giving velocities of 1835*3 
and 1668*7 ft., and total energy of 2060 and 2171 ft. tons, respectively. 
On one occasion (December 31st, 1878,) it is recorded in Krupp's printed 
tables as having fired a shot of 69 lbs. weight, with a charge of 37*5 lbs., 
with a velocity of 2135*8 ft., having 2183 ft. tons energy. In these 
comparisons the Elswick gun has slightly the advantage in actual effect 
and in priority. 
I have recently learned that our government departments have for 
some time been making experiments with B.L. guns. There is now in 
course of manufacture, a field battery of B.L guns, and a 40-ton B.L. 
gun 26 calibres long. In such investigations we may well be stimu¬ 
lated by the example of Germany. 
With the desire to elicit opinions on the points of greatest practical 
importance, I will conclude by expressing the conviction that the 
Meppen trials show that we are placed at a great disadvantage, under 
some circumstances, by our muzzle-loading system. Until recently the 
Italians and ourselves were the main supporters of muzzle-loading guns. 
