392 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
General Besults. 
Lead coated expanded Projectiles. 
8. Avery short experience showed that the systems of Messrs Jeffery and 
Britten were unsuited for heavy charges, large pieces of lead were blown off 
the shot, and the shooting was so wild as to throw these systems entirely out 
of the competition. They will not be referred to in this report, but the 
details of firing will appear in the Appendix. 
Endurance. 
9. About 350 rounds have now been fired from each gun. This is 
insufficient to test the endurance of guns such as these, but it is sufficient to 
indicate that with steel-lined guns there need be no fear of the breaking 
down of the grooving by the abrasion of the ribs or studs in either of these 
systems; at all events when in Commander Scott's system soft bearings 
are used. 
The peculiar eating away of the centre of the end of the powder 
chamber may be due to the softness of the core of the steel lining, or 
the conical form given originally to these chambers, but, whatever the 
cause may be, it seems common to the three guns; and, although the 
defect has developed itself most plainly in Commander Scott's gun, the 
Committee do not think it is attributable to any peculiarity in his mode of 
rifling. 
The Committee can see no reason at present for placing one gun before 
the other in point of endurance. 
i 
Easiness of Loading. 
10. The Trench gun was certainly the easiest to load; but there is 
nothing to complain of in this respect in Commander Scott's gun. Mr 
Lancaster's shot were all got home with more or less difficulty, and in some 
cases a metal rammer had to be used. 
Liability of the Projectiles to injury from rough usage. 
11. None of these descriptions of shot are liable to injury from knocking 
about: but the Lancaster should take the first place in this respect; Com¬ 
mander Scott's first plan the second place; the Trench shot on Palliser's 
system the third, and Commander Scott's second plan the last. 
Pecoil. 
12. There seems no practical difference between the guns in this 
respect. 
In the early part of the trial the Scott gun had the greatest recoil, but on 
an exchange of carriages with the Trench gun, their places in this respect 
were reversed. 
