THE EOYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
341 
27. Such guns, would, however, if made, be perhaps capable of firing 
round shot, common shell, shrapnel shell, grape or case shot, with a reduc¬ 
tion of the present service charge;* and apparently with little or no loss of 
accuracy. They would fire an elongated common shell, containing three 
times the bursting charge of the round shell, and weighing twice as much, 
with half the service charge, or perhaps less; but attaining ranges exceeding 
those of the service round shot, and possessing much greater precision. Tor 
those artillery services in which low charges are necessarily employed,—such 
as enfilading short fronts, dismounting ordnance behind traverses, or breach¬ 
ing sunken defences,—they would probably equal wrought-iron ordnance. 
28. It will have been observed in the perusal of the preceding Heport that 
the elements of rifling are at least six in number, and admit of endless com¬ 
binations. The form of the bore; the form of the grooves ; the number of 
grooves; the twist; the proportion of the weight of the shot to that of a round 
shot of the same calibre, or, in other words, the calibre for a given weight of 
projectile and the weight of projectile for a given calibre; the nature and 
arrangement of the studs, ribs, or other agency, by which the projectile is 
made to receive its rotation from the grooving. To which may be added, 
as very materially affecting the result, the length of the gun, the weight of 
the gun, and the proportionate charge. It is exceedingly desirable to secure 
comparable results, by placing certain practical restrictions on those who 
bring forward rifled guns for trial, to determine, for example, the natures or 
classes to which the guns are to be referred; such as field guns, garrison 
guns, naval broadside guns, naval pivot guns, naval cupola guns, or guns to 
be mounted on turn-tables in any position, guns for coast defences, &c.: to 
assign a limit of weight and length not to be exceeded, and perhaps also— 
although this is less frequently called for—a weight which must be given for 
the sake of the carriage : to assign the calibres, the limits of weight for the 
projectiles proper to either class, and the maximum charge to be allowed. 
These would be restrictions of the liberty hitherto extended to inventors, but 
they would in time secure a valuable body of results. Under the present 
system, as exemplified by the trial now reported, the Government, in its 
desire to leave individual talent full scope for its exertion, scarcely exercises 
control enough to secure public objects. 
J. St GEOBGE, Brigadier-General, 
President. 
* The reduction of the 32-pr. charge from 10 lbs. to 8 lbs. only reduces the velocity from 
1690 to 1619 ft. 
