THE EOYAL AETILLEEY INSTITUTION. 
31 
ACCOUNT 
OE 
AN EXEEKIMENT CAEEIED ON AT SHOEBUEYNESS, 8th DECEMBEE, 1863, 
BY THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON IEON, ON A TAEGET (20' 9" x 8 ' 6 ") 
CONSTKUCTED TO EEPEESENT A POETION OE THE “ BELLEEOPHON ” 
IKON-CASED EEIGATE. 
[EUENISHED BY CAPTAIN E. J. BEUCE, E.A.] 
The part of the ship which was tested by the target is that situated 
between the main and lower decks, and not in the line of ports, the object 
being to test the strength of the general side of the ship. Special arrange¬ 
ments will be made to strengthen the side in the vicinity of the ports, which 
will be few in number, as the “ Bellerophon” is to carry a small number of 
very large guns. These few ports can be strengthened by the introduction 
of additional iron to an extent which would not be practicable if the number 
of ports were large. 
Each frame of the target is made of an angle-iron 10" x 3|" x J", and 
two angle-irons, x 3£" x f", riveted together; to the double angle-irons 
of this frame the skin, which is composed of two thicknesses of §" plating, 
making together with a layer of painted canvas between, is riveted. 
On the outside of the skin plating four horizontal angle-iron stringers are 
attached, two under the upper armour plate, 9J" x 3J" x the broad 
flange being square to the skin, and not reaching out to the armour by half 
an inch; the other two are placed behind the lower plate, 10" x 2>\" x . 
The breadth of the broader flange being the same as the thickness of the 
backing, it reaches out to and comes in contact with the armour. 
Wood backing, 10" thick, is worked longitudinally on the skin plating 
and between the angle-iron stringers, bolted with nut and screw bolts through 
the skin plating. 
The armour consists of two rolled plates, 6" thick (manufactured at the 
Millwall Iron Works), weighing upwards of 9 tons each. The upper armour- 
plate is bolted with bolts 2J" diameter, and the lower plate with bolts 2f" 
diameter. In one half of the target, divided vertically, the armour bolts have 
elastic washers, and are clenched on single nuts. In the other half the bolts 
have common washers with double nuts, and the bolts not clenched. 
In erecting the target, care has been taken to support it behind with 
beam-ends, &c., so that the actual condition of the proposed ship^s side may 
be approximated to as closely as possible. 
All the portions of this target were carefully weighed, and the weight, as 
reported by the Admiralty overseer, is 389 lbs. per square foot. 
The range was 200 yards, and the following shot struck the target:— 
Erom 10 , 5 // Armstrong rifl.ed gun,— 
Spherical cast-iron solid shot, one, weight 150 lbs. 
Spherical steel ditto, one, weight 165 lbs. 
Cylindrical cast-iron ditto, one, weight 308 lbs. 
From 7 , 1 // Ordnance Select Committee gun,— 
Steel shell, one, weight 119 lbs. 
From 7Whitworth rifled gun,— 
Steel shell, one, weight 149J lbs. 
From h\" Whitworth rifled gun,— 
Steel shell, one, weight 69 lbs. 
From 110-pr. Armstrong breech-loading rifled gun,—- 
Solid cast-iron shot, four, weight 665 lbs. each. 
From 68 -pr. smooth-bore gun,— 
Solid cast-iron shot, three, weight 66 Jibs. each. 
