358 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
rifled guns to a conclusion, and will submit the names of Officers whom they 
consider likely to render valuable assistance when they are prepared for them; 
but at the present stage of the inquiry they do not feel that they could be 
materially aided by such services. 
(Signed) J. St GEORGE, 
President. 
[ 2 ] 
Committee Minute, No. 1632—13/o* 
Report, No. 956. 
Subject—Mr B. Britten’s mode of rifling guns. 
With reference to Sections 4 and 5 of Committee’s Report, No. 762; dated 
25th April, 1860. _ 
Committee's Report . 
19th July, 1860. 
1. The Committee felt justified in expressing a favourable opinion of 
Mr B. Britten’s system of rifling service guns in their Report No. 762; and 
although the competitive guns of Messrs Jeffery and Lancaster are untried, 
while that of Mr Haddan is still under trial, they consider that a further step 
may be prudently taken with Mr Britten’s, to gain time; and in the possibility, 
if not probability, that this system, or a modification of it, may come into 
use. 
2. With this view they request permission to test the endurance of the 
three rifled service guns, viz.— 
A. 32-pr. of 56 cwt., has fired 77 rounds. 
No. 1. 32-pr. of 58 „ „ 228 „ 
No. 4. 68-pr. of 95 „ „ 130 „ 
by continuing the practice with each until it has fired 300 rounds (the 
smallest number they consider capable of furnishing presumptive proof of 
a serviceable degree of strength). The number of rounds each has fired is 
marked above. Mr Britten has furnished an estimate of the expense of 
re-coating ninety-seven 8-in. shells, now in hand, and making up the number 
of the others, which amount is £359. 5s. The ammunition, and other stores 
requisite, will amount to £90. 12s. Total, £449. 17s. 
3. The Committee, however, do not consider that the three guns, whether 
they succeed or not in standing that number of rounds, can be safely taken 
as a criterion of the rest of the guns in store, and request permission to take 
two more 32-prs. of 58 cwt., and two more 68-prs. of 95 cwt., indiscriminately 
from store, or from the first deliveries, one to be of Hood’s, and the other of 
Walker’s manufacture, to have them rifled in the same way, and to test them 
to destruction. The expense of this will be as follows :— 
£ s. d. 
Value of guns . 333 7 0 
Expense of rifling. 79 0 0 
Estimated expense of ammunition and stores, 30 rounds per gun. 26 12 6§ 
Estimated expense of elongated projectiles to be supplied by Mr Britten 175 0 0 
Total £613 19 6f 
