ME ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
75 
EEPOET 
BY TEE 
MINISTER OF MARINE, PARIS, Feb. 9, 1859, 
RELATIVE TO THE PROOF OF RIFLED CAST-IRON GUNS, AND THE REVISION 
OF FORMER REGULATIONS RESPECTING THE FABRICATION AND PROOF 
OF ALL IRON CANNON FOR THE IMPERIAL NAVAL SERVICE. 
[Translated by Colonel Greathed, C.B. and Colonel J. H. Lefroy, R.A., F.R.S. 
for the Ordnance Select Committee]. 
Sire, 
1. The ordoimance of the 24th April, 1837, which regulates the technical 
operations relative to the manufacture, the proof, and the passing into the 
service of cast-iron guns, in the foundries of the Marine, has become 
insufficient, on account of the advances realized by an experience of twenty 
years in the metallurgy of iron applied to the production of cannon. 
2. On the other hand, the introduction of cast-iron rifled guns requires 
special measures, which it is important to regulate. 
3. To this end a commission, composed of officers of the Marine 
Artillery, who have more particularly served in the foundries, presided over 
by the inspector-general of that arm, has been charged, by my orders, to 
study the modifications and additions which it was necessary to apply to the 
text of the ordonnance of the 24th April, 1837. 
The project of regulation, proposed by this commission and accepted 
by the council of the admiralty, regulates the classification of metals in the 
foundries, according to the origin and the differences in each lot. 
By a new arrangement it is stipulated that in the proofs of metals entering 
into the composition of mixtures for guns, the cannon of 30, No. 1, which 
is the piece most used on board the fleet, shall be taken as the test, whereas 
until now the calibre of 8 has been exclusively employed for this purpose. 
By the old regulation every unchambered gun, before being passed into 
the service, was made to bear the ordinary proof, viz. it was fired twice with 
two shots and a charge fixed at the half of the weight of the shot. 
This mode of trial was of no use in testing pieces of inferior manufacture, 
which bore the proof, although strained by it; and we have cause to admit 
that this strain has contributed to the accidents which have happened in an 
after period in the service. The new proof of smooth-bores will be always 
made with two shot, but only with the quantity of powder fixed for the 
heaviest service charge of the piece which is to be proved. 
The new regulation fixes with clearness and precision each detail of the 
management of the smelting furnaces and of the reverberating furnaces, as 
