176 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
THE FOLLOWING EXPERIMENT WAS CARRIED ON AT SHOEBURYNESS, ON 
15th AUGUST, 1864, TO ASCERTAIN THE EFFECT OF STEEL SHELL FIRED 
FROM A 13-3" ARMSTRONG M. L. WROUGHT-IRON SHUNT RIFLED GUN, 
ON AN IRON-PLATED VESSEL, AT 2000 YARDS RANGE. 
[COMMUNICATED BY CAPTAIN A. HABEISON, E.A.] 
Eor this experiment a " Warrior ” target 12'xlO' (with wooden frame 
ronnd it, mating altogether a target of 17' 6" x 32') was moored at 500yds. 
range from the gun, and the charge was reduced to 51^ lbs., being equivalent 
to a striking velocity at 2000 yds. with a full charge of 70 lbs. 
The initial velocity of the shell with 51^ lbs. charge is about 990 ft., and 
the striking velocity 940'. 
Mean weight of shell, empty 
Burster. 
Diameter of shell.. 
K::::::::::::::: 
Mean recoil. 
Elevation, 1°. 
Bound No. 1. Grazed edge of frame and passed through wood target at 
side of “ Warrrior.” Did not burst. 
Bound No. 2. Struck top of upper plate 3' 7" from right side; piece of 
plate 16" x 12" (measured at rear side of plate) broken out; hole in backing 
16" x 12"; skin driven out 12" for a length of 5 ft.; third rib broken at 
top and bent out 18"; second rib bent out 3"; angle iron broken; shell 
burst in plate; three pieces of shell found. 
Bound No. 3. Struck about 10 yds. short and ricochetted on to centre 
of target, striking centre plate 4' 2" from left side; hole in plate 16" x 13J"; 
centre plate started forward 6^" at top and 4-J" at bottom on right side, and 
3" at top and 0*5" at bottom on left side; 11 armour-plate bolts started in 
centre plate and one in bottom plate. Upper plate blown off and lying at 
foot of target in front; all the bolts (except three) of this plate broken at 
nut, the three being drawn bodily out of the plate; bottom of upper plate, 
where shell entered, indented \\" in length of 1 ft. At the back ragged 
hole 4' x 2' 3" between third and fourth ribs from right side; two ribs 
broken and forced out, second rib from right bulged, angle iron cracked; 
skin cracked and opened for length of 3' below hole. Seventeen armour- 
plate bolts, twenty-one rivets, and thirteen backing bolts broken. A great 
many splinters of timber, iron, bolt-heads, &c. on raft; shell on platform in 
rear of target, broken up into four pieces. 
Bound No. 4. Struck wood target to the left of “ Warrior;” bursting 
charge fired, but shell did not burst. 
Bound No. 5. Struck 10" left of “ Warrior” target and 12" above 
platform; shell did not burst. 
585 lbs. 
24 „ 
13 // *24 
23"* 
19-75 
6 ft. 1 in. 
