THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
349 
APPENDIX, No. IV. 
REPORT ON MR WHITWORTH’S SYSTEM OP RIFLING. 
Committee Minute, No. 4388—lS^. 
Keport, No. 1708. 
Subject.—Mr Whitworth’s system of muzzle-loading rifled cannon. 
80 
With reference to W. CL letter of 8th June 1861, w requesting the Committee 
445 
to report as soon as possible whether they consider Mr Whitworth’s system of rifling 
as the best suited for muzzle-loading guns. 
Committee's Report. 
15th July, 1861. 
1. In replying to Lord Herbert’s question, whether the Committee con¬ 
sidered Mr Whitworth’s system as the best suited for rifling muzzle-loading 
guns, the Committee think it necessary to point out that they have as yet 
had little or no experience of this system with common or shrapnel shells, 
and but little experience of it in any way bearing on the present enquiry, for 
out of fifteen muzzle-loading rifled guns, which have been made on this 
system, seven are in brass blocks of field calibres, to which it is supposed 
that the question does not refer. 
The following is a list of the muzzle-loading Whitworth guns :—- 
A. —Brass Guns. 
Rounds recorded. 
A. 1.—5-pr. in 6-pr. block, 1858, 3-pr. calibre . 40 
A. 2.—9-pr. in 9-pr. block, 1858, 6-pr. calibre . 218 
A. 3.—9-pr. in 12-pr. block, 1857, 12-pr. calibre. 37 
A. 4.—32-pr. in 24-pr. howitzer block, 1856, 12-pr. calibre, shells 23, 36, 48lbs. 18 
A. 6.—12-pr. in 9-pr. block, 1861, 3-in. calibre. 140 
A. 6, 7, do., not yet tried by the Ordnance Select Committee. 0 
A. 8.—70-pr. in 95-cwt. block, 1861, not yet tried. 0 
B.— Cast-iron Guns. 
B. 1.—32-pr. of 63 cwt.; calibre, ^ ; weight of shot, 32| lbs.; charge, 
6 to 9 lbs.; one turn in 6 ft. 8 in.; burst on the 11th May, 1858, at Shoe- 
buryness, at the 7th round, with 9 lbs. charge, at 15° elevation. 
B. 2.—32-pr. of 63 cwt.; calibre, 7 ; weight of shot, 32 lbs.; one turn 
in 6 ft. 8 in.; burst at Shoeburyness on 3rd December, 1858, at the 14th 
round, with 5 lbs. charge, at 10° elevation. 
B. 3.—68-pr. of 95 cwt.; calibre, shot, 68 lbs.; charge, 10 to 
12 lbs.; one turn in 8 ft. 4 in.; burst at Portsmouth, 8th October, 1858, at 
the 8th round. The shot from this gun pierced a 4-in. plate of homogeneous 
