2 
of the port and 30 inches to its left. It penetrated about 2% inches and exploded 
with great violence. The roof, weighing about 14 tons, was torn off and thrown 
to the rear, seven bolts were broken, and there were several cracks. 
The second projectile was primed. It struck the turret immediately below the 
first, enlarging all the gaps made by it. 
The third projectile, also primed, struck the turret about 35 inches to the left 
of the lower edge of the port. It penetrated the front plate, entering by an 
existing fissure about three inches deep, and made an indent on the rear plate, 
besides which the two plates were cracked and completely disjointed in every 
direction. One fragment, weighing about 24 cwt., was thrown to a distance of 
six yards. 
On the 2nd December following, four rounds were fired, the first against a 
wooden wall at a range of a mile, resulting in a premature burst about 400 yards 
from the object. The second, fired under the same conditions, bursting against 
the wall or immediately after passing through it. The third, fired seaward at an 
elevation of 8° 30', did not burst on touching the water. The fourth and last, 
fired to sea at an angle of 13° 30', burst prematurely at about 1000 yards from 
the gun. 
Such is the only information we have been able to obtain. We believe there 
were other and more conclusive experiments which led to the following report of 
the Commission :— 
1°—The explosion of the projectile is retarded until it has attained a sufficient 
penetration. 
2°—The projectile can be safely hred from every sort of gun. 
3°—The handling of it and its preservation are free from danger. 
4°—Any shell can by this method be charged with dynamite. 
5°—The projectile only bursts by the action of its fuze on impact. 
6°—The interior charge does not explode when the shell is struck or crossed 
by a projectile of small calibre. 
Mr. Graydon could now consider the principle of his interior organisation of a 
dynamite shell well established, whatever might be the size of aerial torpedo 
required. 
His new projectile weighs 1300 lbs., is six feet long, and contains 600 lbs. of 
dynamite. The pneumatic gun which throws it not being rifled, the ogival head 
of the shell is striated helicoidally to provide for the necessary rotation, and in 
rear there is a prolongation which, like a rocket-stick, steadies the shell. This 
prolongation consists of a series of brass cylinders telescopically fitting into one 
another on to the base of the shell. 
They are pierced with holes so that the compressed air may penetrate and 
establish an equal pressure all round them. Thanks to this arrangement they 
open out by the force of hiertia on the discharge of the gun and double the 
length of the shell. 
There are several special fuzes for use with these projectiles against objects 
possessing high powers of resistance. One particularly interesting one for 
attacking the hulls of ships is an electric fuze, so arranged that the circuit is 
closed and the charge is fired when the projectile has penetrated to a given depth, 
i.e.y it is then subjected to the pressure of a column of water of previously 
determined height. 
The range of the shell is three miles, and the time of flight is 30 seconds. 
As regards Mr. Graydon’s gun for this shell, his first one has lately been con¬ 
structed by Messrs. Taunton, Delmard, Lane & Co., of Birmingham. It is a 
15-inch tube of Whitworth forged steel, 24 calibres long, and weighing about 11 
tons. 
It is supported on its carriage by two trunnions at the breech having a 
diameter of one calibre, and at the chase by a collar furnished with two trunnions 
