52 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
One 150-lb. cast-iron spherical shot from the Armstrong 12-ton (10i-in.) 
gun, fired with a 50-lb. charge, struck on the junction of two plates, just as 
a similar shot fired with a 40-lb. charge did on the " Warrior :” it made a 
hole in the armour of about 1 ft. 2 in. by 11 in., and buried itself about 1 ft. 
deep in the backing, bulging the skin considerably and slightly opening it in 
one place; two through-bolts were broken and other minor injuries done. 
Altogether it may be said that about the same injury was done to this 
target by the 300-lb. shot as was done to the "Warrior” by the same shot. 
Another 300-lb. shot did much the same damage. 
The result of this experiment appears to be—that Mr Chalmers’ compound 
backing is superior, as a support, to the simple backing of timber, and 
although his 3f-in. armour plates were more injured than those of the 
"Warrior,” yet, on the whole, his target resisted better than that target. 
Whether or not the advantage was in a greater degree than is due to the 
excess of weight over the "Warrior,” or whether it is at all due to the 
peculiar distribution of the armour in two thicknesses, are fair subjects for 
question. To decide these there should now be made a target, similar in 
every respect to the original " Warrior,” only instead of the simple teak 
backing 18 in. thick, the 4J-in. armour should have a compound backing 
about 10-in. thick, with an elastic cushion for the compound backing to bear 
upon. 
Clarlfs target . July 7, 1863. 
This target was constructed to test a system of naval armour, with com¬ 
pound dovetail fastenings and iron cellular backing, advocated by Mr George 
Clark. 
The object this gentleman had in view was to gain greater solidity and 
strength of structure by means of a rigid backing, and so to give his armour 
plates greater power of resistance; while, at the same time, he hoped to get 
an increase of holding power, without weakening his armour, by means of 
dovetail bars let into the back of his plates, and forming as it were continu¬ 
ous heads to sets of 3 or 4 bolts. 
The target was a somewhat complicated one, several different principles 
having been introduced in it. It presented a front measuring 13 ft. 6 in. by 
10 ft. in height, and was covered with seven armour plates, which, with their 
backings and fastenings, may be described as follows:— 
No. 1 Plate measured 6 ft. by 3 ft., and was 4J in. thick. It was held 
on by three dovetail bars let in flush into the back of the armour, each bar 
forming the head to three bolts, in one case, 2^ in. diameter, in the other 
two, 3 inch in diameter. This armour plate had a cellular backing formed 
by angle irons 7 \ in. by 5 in. by 1 in., laid horizontally, one side of the angle 
being attached to the skin of the target, the other projecting to the front, 
and thus forming cells 6 \ in. deep by 5 in. wide. The cells were divided 
transversely into lengths of about 2 ft., and were filled with compressed 
millboard. 
No. 2 Plate measured 7ft. 6 in. by 3 ft. by 4^in., and was held on by 10 
through-bolts instead of the dovetail fastenings; six of the bolts were 3-in., 
