520 
NORDENFELT AND HOTCHKISS GUNS. 
were mounted on board H. M. S. “Medway/* and fired, while sailing 
at the rate of 8i knots, at a torpedo boat of the Thorny croft pattern 
at anchor. 
The mitrailleuse was again found to be superior both as to rapidity 
and accuracy; its mechanism moreover worked perfectly, while that 
of the cannon-revolver was somewhat damaged from the employment 
of a too rapidly burning powder. 
A Nordenfelt mitrailleuse, calibre 25*4 mm (1 inch), whose projectile 
weighs 225 grammes (nearly 8 oz.) has therefore been adopted by the 
British Government. 
Table of Experiments at sea. 
No, 
. of 
No. of 
No. of 
No. of 
Per cent. 
shots. 
hits. 
shots 
hits 
of hits on 
per min. 
per min. 
rounds. 
(D 
x/i 
O 
zn 
m 
4-3 
% 
4^3 
r o 
m 
43 
o5 
Remarks. 
3 
Cw 
a 
Ch 
a 
3 
cm 
g 
C+H 
g 
^3 
<3 
4-3 
<§ 
o 
13 
43 
>■§ 
43 
o 
o 
ki 
w 
o 
ft 
o 
H 
o 
& 
O 
H 
O 
H 
O 
o 
1 st and 2nd course ... 
118 
52 
62 
li 
23 
11 
12 
2 * 
52 
21 
. Fired at the beam of 
l the torpedo boat, at 
3rd and 4th course ... 
330 
129 
65 
35 
40 
16* 
8 
4 
20 
25 
{ ranges from 1500 
J to 500 yds. 
5th and 6th course ... 
349 
103 
117 
54 
48* 
12 * 
16 
6 * 
33 
52 
Fired at the bows at 
the same ranges. 
7 th and 8th course ... 
135 
50 
115 
36 
77 
20 * 
66 
14* 
85 
71 
Do. from 500 to 100 yds. 
Total . 
932 
334 
359 
136 
Average . 
47 
15 
25* 
7 
47 
42 
Italy .—Preliminary trials were carried out at Spezia in April, 1880, 
with much the same results as the above ; the Hotchkiss mechanism 
however stood the test much better, owing to the employment of 
slower burning powder. Further experiments on a much larger scale 
were conducted in September and October, 1880, to determine the 
following points:— 
1st. Penetration into iron and steel plates. 
2nd. Initial velocity. 
3rd. Eapidity of loading and firing at sea. 
The steel Hotchkiss bullet with hardened head was found to possess 
greater penetration than the Nordenfelt bullet. The Hotchkiss shells 
burst after penetrating a short distance into the plate. The initial 
velocities were as follows 
Hotchkiss steel bullet. 375 metres ... 410 yds. 
Hotchkiss explosive shell . 390 „ ... 428 „ 
Nordenfelt projectile (reduced charge) 418 „ ... 467 « 
Nordenfelt projectile (full charge) ... 447 « ... 490 „ 
