THE 110YAL AETILLEEY INSTITUTION. 
39 
As compared with the plates used in the original “ Warrior ” target, their 
quality was very inferior indeed. 
The weight of gun was 24 tons, 3 qrs., 2 lbs.; diameter of bore, 13*014 in.; 
diameter of shot, 12*8 in. 
It was first fired at 200 yds. range, with a solid cast-iron shot weighing 
279 lbs., and a charge of powder of 74*40 lbs., which gave an initial velocity 
of 1630 ft., reduced at 40 yds. to about 1610 ft. per second. 
This shot completely pierced the target through and through, making an 
irregular hole in the armour about 2 ft. square, and cracking but not 
buckling it: about 3 square feet of the skin were driven in, two ribs were 
completely smashed, and another one injured, a number of bolts were broken 
and started, and a quantity of fragments of shot and splinters were sent to 
the rear. 
The effect of this shot was so complete as to render any further experiment 
at 200 yds. quite unnecessary. 
The gun was therefore moved to a range of 800 yds., and a solid shot 
of annealed cast-iron weighing 285 lbs. was fired at the same target, with 
the same charge as before, giving a terminal velocity of 1300 ft. 
The firing at this range was by no means accurate, so that out of four shot 
fired on the second day only one gave a result worth recording, and even 
that grazed 17 yds. short. It however did not lose by this any appreci¬ 
able velocity or direction, and struck the target in the junction of two plates, 
breaking a large hole about 2 ft. square through the armour and burying 
itself in the timber backing. By this blow T two ribs were broken through, 
and the skin considerably bulged, several bolts were broken and rivets driven 
out. 
To show the inferior quality of the iron in these armour plates, a service 
cast-iron 68-pr. shot was fired at it, and it had the effect of making an 
indent of upwards of 4 in. deep, with a number of cracks in and around it. 
The indent made by a similar shot on the original “ Warrior” target was 
little more than 2 in. deep. 
The lesson learned then from these experiments seems to be this :—That, 
at 200 yds. the real “ Warrior - ” ship would be completely pierced by the 
Horsfall shot; but that at 800yds., although inflicting very severe injuries 
upon her, the skin would not be penetrated by an individual shot. 
It may be worth noting that previous to these trials some serious looking 
flaws existed in the bore of this gun, but they underwent little or no apparent 
change during the five rounds fired from it. 
Penetration of Whitworth projectiles. Sept. 16 and 25, 1862. 
These interesting trials were made with a 12-pr. breech-loader, 9f cwt.; 
a 70-pr. muzzle-loader, 76 cwt. 2 qrs. 14 lbs.; and a 120-pr. muzzle-loader, 
148 cwt. 3 qrs., all Whitworth guns. 
The 12-pr. was fired at 200 yds. with a solid, homogeneous metal, 
cylindrical, flat-ended shot, weighing 12 lbs. 1 oz., and with a charge of 
lib. 14 oz. of powder (giving an initial velocity of about 1360 ft.), against 
a 2J in. plate without backing, through which it made a clean hole and fell 
20 yds, to the rear. 
