The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-14 00:00:00

ts:XPERIMSNTS WITH WHITWORTH
SHELLS AT SHOEBURYNESS.

Some very important trials of the new shell in-
vented by Mr. Whitworth were made yesterday at
Shoeburynesa, in presence of the Duke of Somer-
set, Earl De Grey, Sir John Hay, Admiral Sartorius,
and a large assemblage of civil engineers and others
interested in the construction of artillery and iron-
plated ships, amongst whom were Sir W. Arm-
strong, Mr. Scott Russell, Mr. Samuda, Mr. Ren-
del, Mr. Watts, Mr, Bidder, jun., Mr. Loyd, Mr.
Anderson, of the Royal Foundry, and, of course,
Mr. Whitworth himself.

The experiments were regarded with the greatest
interest, as it was intended to test the results ob-
tained about a month ago with this extraordinary
projectile, by firing it at • much longer
range, and at a target altogether much
stronger than the Warrior target. The shell,
it will be remembered, had already pierced
4i-inch plates of iron, with 18 inches of timber, at
200 yards; a much larger shell was now used at 800
yards, against a target made of greater strength
perhaps than any yet experimented upon. It may
be said to represent rather a section out of the side
of the Minotaur than the Warrior, for the two
lower plates were full 5 inches thick, the upper one
being an old but sound plate 4i in thickness. These
were bolted on to the usual 18 inches of timber,

and backed up with the skin of a iron, and then
the immensely strong ribs of iron. But then there
was a space of 2ft. Gin. left between this inside of

the ship, so to speak, and another very...l:mug
work cased with iron, supported by iron ribs, upon
huge baulks of timber. An opening in the rear of
this target allowed the effects to be seen after each
bit.

The day, though so foggy in London, was beau-
tifully bright at Shoeburyness ; the sky was
cloudless, and there was no wind whatever, so that
it would have been impossible to have fixed upon
a day more favourable for the experiments.
Two or three shots were first taken upon a dummy
target, and it was found to tax the utmost skill of
the artillerymen to get a good sight of the bullseye,
which being white, on light grey, and being con-
stantly kept in shadow by the position of the NllO,
was, perhaps, not so good a mark as a black one
would have been. The little flag, however, seemed
to serve the purpose of the marksmen well, for
there has never been such adiagram made probably
before with great guns atthis range. Three different
bullseyes were painted on, as itwas wished to hit the
upper, middle, or lower plate, and they were very
closely approached every time.
The first shot was made with the large gun forged
at Woolwich upon the coil hoop plan, rifled
with a hexagonal bore, the diameter of which
is seven inches, as all the Whitworth guns
are ; it is called a 120-pounder, but the
sheds fired were 150 lbs., and its weight is about
7 tons, the charge being 27 lbs. of powder. The
bursting charges of the shell were 5 lbs. The shell
was fiat headed, and similar in form to that which
was tried with such remarkable results before. An
important improvement, however, had been made
by Mr. Whitworth, in making the centre of the head
as hard as the outer edge, and allowing it to project
a little beyond the peripheral portion. By this
means the punching or piercing power of the pro-
jectile is vastly increased.
The very first shell fired was at the full range
of 800 yards, a distance contracted from the origi-
nal one, which was intended by Mr. Whitworth to
have been 1,000 yards, but this range brought the
gun nearer to some gentlemen's residences than was
agreeable, and it was consequently reduced.
The shell struck the thickest plate (5 inches),
pierced it, completely bursting in the passage
through, then smashing the wood, and, tear-
ing through the iron skin, watered 27 fragments
of the shell, pieces of the skin, and of the plate in
every direction. Several bolts were started, and
large bits of wood were hurled some distance be-
hind or through the deck of the target. The sp_
peanuts of the hole in the ship's side, as seen frcm
the inside, was as if the skin as it was burst through
had been stuffed with old brooms or thatch, so com-
pletely shredded was the strong oak. The opposite
side of the ship, so to speak, bore severe marks of
the destruction inside, and showed several deep
grazes, so that there could be no doubt as to the
awful slaughter that such a weapon would commit
throughout the ship by the pieces flying about.
It was thought that the shell had burst
a little too quick, and this was remedied by
a contrivance of Mr. Whitworth's, consisting of
nothing more than enclosing the bursting charge
in an extra flannel soaked with solution of alum.
The next shell of the same description was then
fired. It struck the thinner plate, 4JI inches,
pierced it, smashed the timber, bulged the skin,
and broke one of the ribs. To compare the effects,
a cast-iron shot, round-headed, was then fired.
It did not pierce, though it indented the plate,
and shook so the whole fabric that no less than
seven bolts were broken and their heads knocked
off inside. Every one of these would be a destruo-
tive missile in action. The velocity of this shot
was ascertained by the electric wire apparatus to
be 1,280 feet per second, being greater than that of
the shells by 50 feet per second.
A shell of 130 lbs. was now tried with the same
charge of powder, and 311 lbs. bursting charge.
This was the moat successful of all—it went through
the 5-inch plate, with as much ease as the Duke of
Somerset's walking-stick afterwardsdid, asthe Duke
poked it into the hole through the target. The scene
of destruction inside was more terrific to look at
than iu the case of the heavier shell, and this was
due, no doubt, to the increased velocity given to a
lighter projectile by a full charge of powder. The
velocity of this shot was found to be 1,280 feet per
second.

Every one, except Mr. Whitworth, was asto-
nished at the surpassing power of these shells;
indeed, bets were offered with considerable con-
fidence that the target would not be penetrated at
this range, hitherto never dreamt of as practicable
for even flat-headed steel projectiles. But we be-
lieve Mr. Whitworth is prepared to go even further
than this, and to set a gun of his system to pierce
plates even 10 inches thick, such as are now being
made for the American ironsides on the model of
the Monitor. However this may be, there was but
one opinion given on every side as to the Whit-
worth shell having won a victory for artillery over
iron ships. These were the great results of the
day, and their importance both to iron shipbuilding
and great gun armaments for the navy can hardly
be overstated.

Some practice was afterwards made, at the re-
quest of Sir John Dalrymple Hay, with the 701 b.
shell at 600 yards, with a charge of 131bs. of
powder. Out of three shots one only pierced the
plate, the others merely damaging it ; but it was
stated by Mr. Whitworth that he did not expect
the shell to penetrate at this range plates of that
thickness.

PEOILOONTION OF CONVOCA77ON.-(THIS
This eft/noes the eoevocation of the provisos of Canter-
bury was formally adjourned under the royal writ until
Wednesday, the 14th of January.