250 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
velocity of the latter. This has not at present been done for the low charges 
used in ricochet fire,* but by calculation the initial velocity of a 32-pr. 
shot, with 22 oz. of powder, as fired on this occasion, is about 715 ft. per 
second; being nearly 100 ft. greater than that of the 12-pr. and 20-pr., and 
120 ft. greater than that of the 40-pr. The elongated projectiles preserve 
their velocity rather better than the round shot; but on the whole, although 
it appears sufficiently great to produce destructive effect on the Artillery 
material they strike, it must be less than that of the round shot, and con¬ 
sequently their mechanical effect less also : on the other hand the larger 
bursting charges of elongated shells will make these much more destructive 
to traverses and solid obstacles, as well as to troops. 
10. The present practice has fully satisfied the Committee that Armstrong 
projectiles may be fired with greatly reduced charges, so as to have a high 
descending angle, and still retain precision of direction and uniformity of 
range. This adapts them well for silencing guns covered by traverses, or for 
breaching caponnieres and sunken defences; but they are not so well adapted 
as round shot for what is commonly intended by ricochet fire, namely, to 
proceed through a w r ork by short bounds, making more than one graze in it. 
The second graze is almost invariably too far distant from the first to be in 
any way relied on; it is however tolerably regular both in direction and 
distance. 
The following Table contains the observed first and second grazes of a part 
of the practice. In some instances the second graze was not traced. 
Comparison of 1st and Znd grazes of Armstrong projectiles . 
So 
| 
1 
O 
Mean 
range. 
Diff. 
1-2 
Deflection. 
Gun. 
1 
> 
CD 
'S 
6 
£ 
1st 
graze. 
2nd 
graze. 
1st 
graze 
R 
2nd 
graze 
R 
Soil. 
12-pr. 
oz. 
6 
7 
2 
yds. 
765 
yds. 
i290 
yds. 
525 
yds. 
yds. 
23 
Good turf 
do . 
_ 
10 
2 
937 
1331 
394 
— 
75 
do 
do . 
8 
5 
3 
729 
1513 
784 
— 
63 
do 
20-pr. 
16 
5 
3 
744 
1536 
792 
— 
115 
do 
do . 
_ 
7 
5 
1009 
1600 
591 
— 
66 
do 
do . 
18 
5 
3 
828 
1405 
577 
— 
47 
do 
do . 
_ 
7 
4 
1112 
1795 
683 
— 
71 
do 
do . 
20 
7 
5 
1195 
2188 
993 
2-4 
50 
Wet sand 
do . 
_ 
10 
5 
1650 
2435 
785 
6-7 
61 
do 
40-pr. 
32 
5 
5 
883 
1683 
800 
1-1 
47 
do 
do . 
_ 
7 
5 
1173 
2286 
1013 
2-7 
80 
do 
do . 
36 
6 
5 
1004 
2058 
1054 
1-7 
38 
do 
do . 
_ 
7 
5 
1306 
2422 
1116 
2-7 
60 
do 
do . 
40 
6 
5 
1083 
1933 
850 
1-7 
86 
do 
do . 
— 
7 
5 
1448 
2626 
1178 
3-7 
166 
do 
11. Two exceptional grazes occurred in the practice, both of which 
would have been very destructive inside a work. A 20-pr. shot fired at 5° 
with 18 oz. charge, struck the ground at 798 yds., and cut off the top of the 
* See Table III. for results obtained since tbe date of tbis Report. 
