496 
ARMOUR-PIERCING PROJECTILES. 
Considering that shells with pointed heads (made from a uniform 
French steel) produced a considerable effect with oblique fire, and are, 
in this respect, much superior to chilled projectiles, it appears to be 
necessary for the present to retain the established proportion of 
projectiles.for the different guns for coast defence. For every mortar 
one half of the number of projectiles should be of ordinary cast-iron, 
and the other half of steel. For every coast gun, 100 chilled, 100 steel, 
and 50 ordinary cast-iron projectiles are decidedly necessary. 
(Taken from the Russian Artillery Journal, 2nd Number of 1879.) 
RUSSIAN ARTILLERY. 
{Taken from the Journal Russian Artillery. — September, 1879 , 
Design for a gun of 15cm. (6 ins.) calibre, to fire heavy 
shells with a high muzzle velocity. 
Result of deliberation of the Committee of Russian Artillery 
on the proposal, by the Marine Department, of a gun 
of 6 ins. (15cm.) calibre, intended to fire very heavy 
projectiles with high muzzle velocities. 
In the experiments carried out in England during 1878, very high 
muzzle velocities were obtained with a 6-in. Armstrong gun, with 
comparatively low pressures. The results of these experiments have 
caused the Marine Department in Russia to make similar trials with 
our 6-in. gan. As the lengthening of the gun, by means of inserting 
an inner tube, could not be completed at once, they have decided to 
profit by the delay, by determining, with a 6-in. gun, the law which 
regulates the dimensions of the chamber with the weight of the charge 
of prismatic powder of high density, the powder being provided from 
the powder factory of Ochta, or bought in Germany. The first series 
