494 
ARMOUR-PIERCING PROJECTILES. 
The shot manufactured by Nobel broke up on impact, but perforated 
the plate, and head and pieces stuck in backing. The depth of indent 
of the one was 14 ins., and of the other a little more. 
3. Shells with pointed and Hunt {flat ?) heads. For this trial both 
shot and shell with blunt heads were provided; however, only the 
latter were made use of, because, in the trials already carried out, 
sufficient results were obtained for comparison between shot and shell 
having pointed heads, besides only a small portion of the plates 
remained uninjured, so the trial had to be confined to the most im¬ 
portant question, viz., shells with flat heads. These, with a charge of 
306 lbs., gave the following results :— 
(a) . Steel shell of Sormofsky penetrated the plate and broke up, 
the head, as far as the front ring, sticking in the backing. 
(b) . One steel shell of Putilofsky perforated the plate and stuck in 
backing, but was cracked. The indent was about 17*5 ins. in depth; 
the effect of a second shell of the same manufacture was about equal to 
that of the first, but produced an indent 22*6 ins. deep. 
(c) . The cast-iron shell of Nobel, with chilled head, penetrated the 
plate and was broken in bits, the head sticking broken in the plate. 
( d ) . The shells chilled over the whole surface, made by the same 
firm, had nearly the same effect as with (c), but with this difference, 
that the head stuck in the plate and backing, and the indent was 
deeper. The head was found broken up. 
The trials with shells of Putilofsky were now repeated, but only 
with the charge of 33*8 lbs., by which the two shells supplied (although 
they penetrated deeper than when fired with the charge of 80‘6 lbs.) 
did not perforate the backing, and were broken up. The plates were 
much bent by these rounds. 
The Russian Artillery Committee formed the following conclusions 
on the results of the trials 
(a). The comparative trial with 9-in. shells with pointed head, when 
the line of fire differs from the normal, shews (as was to be expected) 
that the effect of the shells was not uniform, and that it depends on the 
quality of the material and manner of manufacture. The shells can be 
divided into three groups—considering the effect they produced :— 
1st. Those which perforated the plate and backing, and remained 
entire. 
2 nd. Those which produced considerable effect on the plate and 
backing, but were broken up. 
3 rd. Those which were either set up or broken up on impact, and 
had slight penetrative power. 
The French steel shells are in the first group. In the second group 
belong the chilled shells and unforged steel shells of Putilofsky, of 
which the former are to be preferred. With the chilled shells there 
Was no appreciable difference (as shown j by the trials with charges of 
30'6 and 33’8 lbs.) when the whole surface was chilled, or when the 
chill was confined to the head. 
In general, the following is to be remarked referring to this group :— 
Projectiles which break to pieces on impact cannot possess their full 
destructive effect, as a part of their work is taken up in breaking up 
