THE EOYAL AETILLEEY INSTITUTION. 
325 
Commander B. A. E. Scott, B.N.—Gun rifled in tliree eccentric circular 
grooves, one turn in 48 feet; projectile, non-expanding, but cast with long 
wings or projections corresponding with the grooves on tbe gun, and set at 
the same angle to the axis; the bearing edges planed to the angle of rifling, 
and faced with zinc ; their general form cylindrical, with hemispherical ends; 
weight, empty, 38 j lbs.: an expanding wad is used. 
The annexed Plate exhibits at one view the form of each projectile, with 
the principal particulars of the rifling of each gun. 
4. The Committee have ascertained that in point of expense there is very 
little difference between any of these systems. They could, any of them, be 
applied to smooth-bored guns on a large scale, at a cost of not more than 
10<?. per gun for rifling, by extending the machinery in the Eoyal Gun 
Eactories. It is stated by Mr Anderson that the system of Mr Bashley 
Britten would be the least expensive, and that of Mr Haddan the most 
expensive. The order of expensiveness is considered by Mr Anderson 
(Minute 3035) to be— 
Mr B. Britten. I Mr C. W. Lancaster. 
Mr A. Jeffery. Commander Scott, E.N. 
Mr L. Thomas. | Mr J. C. Haddan. 
But they would all range between 7 s. 6d. and 10s. per gun, for the cost of 
rifling, if executed in numbers, and this element is therefore immaterial. 
5. When, however, the Committee compare them in respect to the 
expense of the projectiles, the difference is much more considerable. 
The Superintendent, Eoyal Laboratory, has at their request estimated the 
cost per thousand of the common shells proposed for use by each inventor, 
and reports it as follows :— 
Commander Scott... 
M Haddan. 
Mr Lancaster . 
lbs. £ s. d. 
40 ... 184 9 0 
47* ... 193 9 0 
49* ... 194 4 0 
Mr Jeffery . 
Mr Britten . 
Mr L. Thomas ... 
lbs. £ s. d. 
49 .. 295 5 0 
47* ... 305 8 0 
64* ... 484 2 0 
The present smooth-bore 32-pr. shell, weighing 22 lbs., costs £87. 14s. 
per 1000, and the round shot £85. 17 s. per 1000 ; to set against the more 
expensive projectile, however, there is a reduction of charge, which will be 
from 3 to 5 lbs., as against round-shot charges, but not more than 1 or 2 lbs., 
as against shells, the larger bursting-charge absorbing part of what is saved 
on the firing charge. 
6. The Committee, on entering into this inquiry, were led to suppose 
that the several gentlemen who had been selected by the Secretary of State 
to rifle smooth-bored guns, had matured their views, and were prepared to 
carry out their respective systems at once, if allowed to do so. That such 
was also the impression conveyed to the Secretary of State may be inferred 
from the fact that the original orders only included 50 projectiles on each 
system, a number which might be sufficient to determine their relative 
accuracy in a match, but was quite insufficient to determine the various 
questions which soon arose. In a Eeport dated 25th April, 1860 (No. 762), 
