33 
EXTKAGTS 
FROM THE 
REPORT OF THE ORDNANCE COMMITTEE ON EXPERIMENTS 
WITH SIEGE MATERIAL CARRIED ON AT LYDD IN 1890. 
COMPILED UNDER THE DIRECTION OP 
COLONEL E. LYONS, R.A. 
(Camjp Commandant , Lydd). 
The programme was intended to determine the following points 
amongst others • 
Series ( B .)—The effect of high angle fire from, and accuracy of, the 
6’3-in. R.M.L. howitzer of 18 cwt., bored up to 6’6-in., and rifled 
with a pitch of one turn in 15 calibres, firing shells of large capacity, 
to be carried out on the Twydall casemates. 
This experiment was fired on the 11th October, the shells were of 
forged steel (for use with high explosives), and were of two lengths, 
viz., four and five calibres. Their estimated weights were 99 lbs. 
2 ozs., and 120 lbs. 12 ozs. when filled with gun-cotton. 
Only three of the 5-calibre shell were fired, of which two turned 
over in flight; the practice was, therefore, stopped. 
Of the 4-calibre shell, three cast steel, filled with salt, were first 
fired with good results. This practice was, however, of no assistance 
with regard to the forged steel shell, as they were nearly 15 per cent, 
heavier than the latter. 
Five rounds were then fired with cast copper gas-checks with ser¬ 
rations on their inner rims, which were intended to engage in projections 
on the base of the shell, but they failed so to act, and the practice was 
very irregular. 
Gras-checks of the service pattern were next tried, and 16 rounds 
fired, but showed little improvement; one hit, however, was obtained. 
Six rounds were fired with cast copper gas-checks similar to those 
used for the first five rounds, but nicked on the base of the shell before 
loading. These also gave very poor results. 
The conditions of the practice, inasmuch as the elevation and deflec¬ 
tion were continually altered with the object of hitting the target, 
prevent any exact estimate of the accuracy of the 4-calibre shell, but 
it is obvious that little dependence is to be at present placed on them. 
The irregularity of the practice may be due to the varying weight of 
1. YOL. XIX. 5 
