THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
421 
Of tlie rifle projectiles, those marked A and C only were fired on this 
occasion—the former with a charge of 70 lbs., the latter with 60 lbs. The 
velocities (up to 5° elevation) were taken by Lieut. Noble, E.A., with Navez's 
electro-ballistic apparatus, at two points—the first at 120 ft. from the muzzle, 
and again at a distance of 420 ft., i.e. 300 ft. between the screens. The latter 
observations are omitted as there is reason to believe that the pendulum of 
the second instrument was caused to drop by the shock of the discharge 
before the wires were severed by the passage of the shot. 
The cartridge of 7 0 lbs. measured in length, before entering in the bore 
25 in., when set home 22 in. A seam was run down the cartridge of 60 lbs., 
to make it the same length as the cartridge of 70 lbs. 
The gun w f as served by one non-commissioned officer and twenty men. 
The shot was laid in a metal cradle or “ bearer,” w T ith grooves correspond¬ 
ing to the studs, and (when hooked on to the two supports at the muzzle) 
formed a continuation of the rifling of the gun, guiding the shot to enter 
true. The bearer was greased before every round. 
An 18 ft. gyn, with luff tackle, was used to raise the bearer and shot to 
the height required to hook on, the shot was then pushed off the “ bearer ” 
into the bore, and rammed home. 
One man brought up the cartridge, four the shot. 
When sponging out dry, four men were enough to ram home the cartridge; 
after washing out, six w r ere required. 
Lour men rammed home the shot easily. 
The gun was traversed (on a raised iron racer) with treble and double 
block tackle; six men on each tackle ran the gun up after firing. Six to 
each truck lever to bear down, three to run up. 
There was difficulty in elevating (in the ordinary way) in spite of 8J cwt. 
preponderance, owing to friction on trunnion holes. These were oiled, and 
a small hydraulic lifting jack (12 tons) applied below the muzzle, raised it 
easily; later, a double coil of rope was passed round the muzzle, and the 
muzzle raised more rapidly by means of the windlass and tackle of the gyn. 
The elevations w r ere given with the quadrant. 
The report was less loud than might be expected; an officer stood within 
40ft. slightly to the right-rear, without feeling inconvenience from the 
shock. 
Generally the shot ricocheted straight—four to six long bounds, then a 
series of lesser ones lost in distance. The hollow head appeared to break up 
generally on first or second graze on the water. 
The time between shots, towards the end of the firing, was (with the 
incomplete appliances of a first experiment) ten minutes. 
The gun was carefully examined, externally, after every round—internally, 
with lamp and searcher, after first and last rounds. A slight flaw, at 
10 in. from the muzzle (known before firing), was not increased, and is under¬ 
stood to be the place where two lengths of coil are joined: the defect is, 
apparently, only superficial. 
The bore had expanded a little at its junction with the plug, and is 
slightly oval at that place. 
At the first discharge the B tube was set back the slightest perceptible 
amount from the muzzle: after this there was no sign of movement of 
parts. 
