234 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDIN'GS OF 
employed in the experiments of 1824 ; their relative powers are not in fact 
expressed by this simple comparison; but the corrections, as we shall see 
below are all in favour of the rifled projectiles, it remains to enquire what 
are the charges which will give these velocities, and to ascertain whether such 
charges are compatible with high angles of elevation, and high angles of 
descent, at moderate distances. 
The following Table contains a number of observations which have been 
made of the initial velocity of shells fired from rifled ordnance with very 
small charges. The observations were made and the results calculated by 
Lieut. W. H. Noble, E.A. 
Table III. 
Decimal 
value 
12-pr. 
11-75 lbs. 
20-pr. 
21-5 lbs. 
40-pr. 
40-5 lbs. 
70-pr. 
69*62 lbs. 
110-pr. gun, 
7-in. howitzer 
103*87 lbs. 
7-in. mortar. 
87*56 lbs. 
P 
Charge. 
V 
Charge. 
V 
Charge. 
V 
Charge. 
V 
Charge. 
V 
Charge. 
V 
lbs. oz. 
ft 
lbs. oz. 
ft. 
lbs. oz. 
ft. 
lbs. oz. 
ft. 
lbs. oz. 
ft. 
lbs. oz. 
ft. 
•0114 
•0201 
0213 
0 ’ 4 
404 
2 0 
407* 
1 0 
287 
•0218 
0 ”7*5 
360 
0 14 
411 
1 “7*3 
408 
2 "3-5 
397 
2 14 
395 
•0228 
•0248 
0 8*6 
397 
1 0 
449 
1 10*8 
440 
2 “8*5 
441 
2 0 
2 1 
406 
441 
•0318 
0 6 
500 
•0342 
•0385 
•0435 
1 12*5 
630 
4 0 
576* 
3 0 
498 
•0456 
•0570 
•0638 
0 12 
796 
4 0 
5 0 
575 
647 
•0648 
2 “To 
805 
•0684 
•0851 
1 0 
962 
6 0 
704 
7. It appears that a charge of one forty-fifth the shell's weight is 
sufficient to give an initial velocity of about 400 ft. a second to all these 
projectiles except the 20-pr. shell, which takes rather more : we have seen 
above that no shell of 40 lbs. and upwards requires so high a velocity as 
400 ft. to contain a greater amount of vis viva than any of the shells employed 
in 1824. It now remains to be seen whether so small a charge is compatible 
with uniformity of range and accuracy of direction. The following Tables 
contain the results of actual practice made under the direction of the Ordnance 
Select Committee to determine the point. Two charges were fixed on for the 
40-pr., namely 14 oz., which is rather more than one fiftieth (’0216), and 1 lb. 
Two charges in the same proportion to their respective shells were fixed on for 
* The 110-pr. gun is not likely to Tbe put to this service, but I have included with the 
7-inch howitzer, two determinations with this piece, which is 24 inches longer in the bore than 
the howitzer, but is in other respects comparable with it. 
