The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-07-26 00:00:00

IMPROVED ORDNANCE.

GOVERNMENT TRIAL OF MR. WHITWORTH'S
GUN, YESTERDAY, AT SOUTHPORT.
YeSterday a trial of Mr. Whitworth's breach-loading
cannon took place on the beach, four miles from South-
port, in the presence of Colonel St. George, President of
the Secret Ordnance Committee; Colonel Bingham ;
General Weatherall ; Captain Herbert, of her Majesty's
ship Excellent ; Captain Moore, the Duke of Somerset's
secretary; Captain Egerton ; Sir John Burgoyne, In-
spector-General of Fortifications ; and the Honourable
Captain Wrottesley. There was a large number
of casual visitors present, but the congregation of
spectators was not nearly so large as on the previous
occasion, owing probably to the fact that the trial
was not announced until yesterday morning. The
beach presented a very lively appearance between
the town and the scene of operations. In addition
to the men belonging to Mr. Whitworth's establish-
ment, the trials were carried out by experienced men
belonging to the Reyal Artillery and Marine Artillery,
under the immediate superintendence of the committee.
The regular artillerymen first took their place at the
guns, and the gunners afterwards ; none of whom
had previously seen the ordnance. The experiments
were, it is understood, highly satisfactory and success-
ful. In one or two instances, however, the large gun,
gun, eighty-pounder, ruissfired; which, we understood,
was owing to inaptitude in firing. In the first
set of ten shots from a twelve-pounder with solid
shot, the greatest range (that is where it first struck
the ground) achieved was 4,298 yards, and the lowest
4,102 yards, at an elevation of ten degrees ; the greatest
deviation was 42 feet, and the smallest 2 feet tq the left.
Ir► the second set, at 44 elevation of seven degrees, the
ball traversed the air, find struck the ground at
a distance of 3,233 yards, deviating seven feet to the left
of the strait line marked out. The shortest range at
this elevation was 3,036 yards, with a deviation to the
left of 16 feet. In the third set, at an elevation of five
degrees, the greatest range accomplished was 2,603
yards, and the smallest 1,853 yards. In the fourth set
(twelve-pounder with shell) the greatest range was 843
yards, deviating 1 foot to the left, and the shortest 757
yards, deviating to the left 6 feet. The greatest range of
the big gun (eighty-pounder), with solid shot, was 1,008
deviating four inches to the left ; and the shortest range
274 yards, with a deviation of only two inches.
With c lJUuulcr 1..01ci1 n itl 514e11, a maximum
range of 1,328 yards, and a minimum range or
1,506 yards way aitai4ed, the de7i4t4on in the latter
case being five feet to the right.
The following is a table, showing the number of shots
fired, the size of the guns, the degrees of elevation, the
range attained, and the deviation of each shot to the
right or to the left.
TWELVE-POUNDER SET.—SOLID SHOT.
No. Degree of Rang: in Deviation in Feet.
elcvaticri. yards. Right. Left.
10 . 41.13
.. 4102
•• • • 4117
4298
4236
4228
4252
4276
4131
4205

1
2
3
4 • •
e .
7
9
10 .

- . 30
. . 27

3 - • •
4 .. . . -
.. . -
6 .

2ND sm.
416()..
3036..
.. 3233 .
3043 .
3100....
3119
3122
3037
3061
3d59

12

. . 16

- . . . 12


SET (FIRST FOUR STMTS SLIOUTLY DU RANCiND.)
. . 6 . 2590....
. . 1987
.... 1853.... -
1968....
2540.
. . 2560..
. 2502..
.._ 2603.. .
... 2557 ...
1975
4TH SET: SHELL,
787....
771..83.
794.... --
757..
815 .
829..
827..
823..
826..

6

1 -

s
10 ....

1 . 1 • •
:3 . . .

2 . . 14

6 -

4 . .

1 -

6 . . - . . .
8 . - . . .
9 .. . . - .. . .
10 . .

1
- 6

1 .... -

. -
. 2

STH SET: 80-POUNDED, SOLID SHOT.
Rungelli. "Deviatiiin in Inches.
Yards. flight. Left.
14
787
727
769
274
876
994
959
999
100 i
6TH SET : 127EouNIDER, SHELL.
D:greeof Range in Deviation in Feet.
elevation. yaids. Right. Left.
3 .... 1739 -- 8
1745.... .... 3
1810.... -- 2
1574.... -- 8
1710.... -- 2
1828.... 1 2
1506.... 5 .... --
1826.... 10
1733.... 2
182 i.... 1
The' day was fine and very calrn. The greatest interest
was shown by the spectators in the proceedings. The
experiments will be resumed to-day, and' the result will
be duly published in the Daily Times of Friday morning.

No.
1
2 . .
3 .
4 .
5. . .
6• • •
7
.
1P • -

i ....

-.. • •

. . -

- . 4