THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
357 
of six rifled guns thus hooped, three have already burst, three more hooped 
guns, not rifled, have also been burst in the course of experiments to test 
their endurance, and one, at least, of them did not exhibit any remarkable 
endurance, viz. the 6‘5-in. gun. 
(8) 10-in. gun, No. 5071, burst at the 39th round, on 28th November, 
1859, being the 9th with a cylinder equal to four solid round shot and 20 lbs. 
charge. 
(9) 68-pr., No. 3973, burst at 51st round, being the 1st with a cylinder 
equal to six round shot; charge, 16 lbs. 
These two guns were hooped in a manner somewhat different from the one 
now employed. 
(10) A 6*5-in. gun, No. 13, 97icwt., hooped, but not rifled, burst on 
18th April, 1860, at the 30th round, with a cylinder equal to four round shot, 
and 16 lbs. charge. 
8. It is very possible that improvements may be made upon the method 
of strengthening, or upon the preparation of the block for receiving the 
cylinders or hoops employed; but at present there appear to be difficulties 
which call for the utmost caution, looking to the almost incalculable conse¬ 
quences of the bursting of even a few guns on board ship or in garrison, 
with such effects as generally attend these occurrences. 
The discouragement to the morale of Her Majesty's fleet or troops might 
almost equal that of a series of defeats. 
9. The Committee think it probable that service 32-prs., of 56 cwt., 
58 cwt., or 64 cwt., the calibres of which are a little less than if turned 
down externally to cylinders behind the trunnions, and then strengthened 
with hoops, would be found stronger than guns cast to the requisite dimensions 
and hooped, as is now the practice; and they request that one gun of each 
of these natures may be thus prepared and tested to destruction, in com¬ 
parison with the ordinary hooped guns now about to be tested. The estimate 
for this service is £525. 
10. The Committee also recommend that a standard gun of 6*5" bore be 
cast and rifled in gun metal (brass), and subjected to experiment to ascertain 
the power of this metal to resist the action of the shot. 
The first cost of such a gun will be £712; but the value of the metal, 
when returned for re-melting, will be about £350; making the actual 
expense of the gun about £462. Such a gun, being free from danger of 
bursting, will be of frequent use, and the ranges given by it will be available 
for forming Tables of Practice for the iron guns, if they are generally 
introduced. 
11. With reference to the concluding part of the W. O. Memorandum of 
17e 4 oj the Committee will gladly avail themselves of the offer of the Secretary 
of State to give them the services of one or more Artillery Officers, to assist 
in bringing these present inquiries into the best form of muzzle-loading 
