The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-07 00:00:00

meat the employment of shells of a magnitude never
before imagined by any one, namely, of a yard
in diameter, and weighing, when in iigbt, hbote:: a ton.
and a quarter each; end to prepare de,iq sin bt•Titral re-
spect, - ' ryeezi;iar, for the conitruction ni racrtars

ye] am(
cvabie of projecting tins

propo,al, ho cover, that far outreaches the previous
thoughts of ordinary tlieller., tuie was iii r. cei‘...l by
the then Ordnance authorities ; they admitted Mc. Mal-
let's conclusions as to the value of those enormous shells
for those, being based on mathematical reasoniug, could
not be denied, but they denied in effect that it was pos-
sible to make shells of this size that would bear being
thrown, or to make a mortar that would throw them.
Nor would any attempt even have been made to realise
what must now be considered the most tremendous
offensive siege weapon in the world, had it not beam for
the clear conceptions and energetic interference of Lord
Palmerston as Prime Minister. What was in 1854 a
presumed official impossibility, has become in 1857 an
accomplished fact. On Oct. 19 the first of those colossal
mortars constructed from Mr. Mallet's design was fired
on Woolwich Marshes, with charges (of pr: jection) gra-
dually increasing up to 701 b. ; and with the latter charge
a shell weighing 2,5501 b. was thrown a horiuntal range
of upwards of a mile and a half to the height of probably
three-quarters of a mile, and falling penetrated the coin.
pact and then hard dry earth of the Woolwich range to
a depth of more than 18 feet, throwing about cart-loads
of earth and stones by the mere splash of the fall of the
empty shell. What would have been the crater I.loven
out it the bunting charge of 4001 b. of powder had been.
within and fired at that depth!
It would be out of place here to attempt to follow Mr.
Mallet's mathematical results as to the relative powers
of email and large shells; some popular notion, however,
of the subject may be given in a few words.
Say we have a 18-inch shell, and a 86-inch shell, and for
simplicity that each has the same proportion of iron and
powder in relation to their bulks, of the same density.
Roughly the large shell may be said to be three times
the diameter of the small one. Theee a ring or circle,
through which the larger ene will just pass, will have
nine times the area of that through which the smaller
one will just pass, and the weight of the large shell will
be 27 times that of the small one.

It the two shelli, then, be thrown at the same angle of
elevation and at the same velocity, the larger shell will
range greatlyiurther than the small one, for their relative
resistances in the air are about as one to nine, while
their relative energy of motion or momentum is as ULM
to 27.

A 13-inch shell, weighing about 1801 b. is thrown by a
charge of 301 h. of powder barely 4,700 yards. We have
teen that, with not much more than double this atnoun
of powder, the 36-inch shell of more than 14 time its
weight was thrown 2,650 yards, or much more than
half the distance. Hence, the power of obtaining great
range with those large shells.
The explosive power, it is obvious, is approximately
proportionate to the weight of powder; but, by calcu-
lations, of which the result only can here be given, Mr.
Mallet has shown that the total power of demolition,
that is to say the absolute amount of damage done in
throwing down buildings, walls, &c., by one 36-inch
shell, is 1,600 times that possible to be done by one
13-inch shell, and that an object which a 13-inch shell
could just overturn at one yard from its centre, will be
overthrown by the 36-inch shell at 0 yards distance.
A 13-inch shell penetrates, on falling upon compact
earth, about two and a half feet. The Antwerp shell
penetrated 7 feet. The 36-inch shell penetrated 16 to
18 feet. The funnel-shaped cavity, or "crater" of earth
blo vn out by the explosion of a buried shell, is always a
similar figure, called a" paraboloid ; " its diameter at
the surface, produced by the 13-inch shell is 7 feet, and
by the 36-inch shell about 40 feet.
No bomb-proof arch (so called) nowjexiets in Europe
capable of resisting the fall of one of those huge shells
upon it, whose energy of descent may be represented as
equal to about 800 tons, against the tremendous fall of
such masses, still more against the terrible powers of
their explosion, when 4801 b. of powder, fired to the very
best a ]vantage, puts in motion the fragments of more
than a ton of iron. No moans or precautions are possible
in a fortress, no eplinttr proof—no ordinary vaulting,
perhaps no casemate exists capable of resisting their fall
and explosion, either of which would sink the largest
ship (even the Leviathan) or floating battery. And as
no precaution could save either garrison or town from
such shells, so their moral effect would be paralysing.
Other great and special uses have been pointed out for
them by their proposer, both for attack and defence,
which we cannot enter upon.
A single 36-inch shell in flight costs 251., and a single
_ _

13-inch 2/. 2s , yet the former is immeasurably the
cheaper projectile ; for to transfer to the point of
effect the same weight of bursting powder we must
give-
-55 shells of 13 inches, at 21. 2e £ll5 10 0
Against 1 shell of 86 inches 25 0 0

Showing a saving in favour of
£9O 10 0
the large shell
and this assumes that 55 small shells, or any number of
them, could do the work of the single great one.
We must, however, pass on to notice the mortars
from which these Titanic projectiles are shot.
The mortars are, with the exception of one part (the
base), and the elm timber ends, formed wholly of
wrought Iron, in concentric rings, and each entire mortar
is separable at pleasure into 13 separate pieces, the
heaviest of which weighs about 11 tons, so that the he-
mense weight, when all put together (about 52 tons),
is susceptible of easy transport, on ordinary artillery
carriages, over rough country, or can be conveniently
shipped, stowed, or landed. Special mortar rafts for
the we of these mortars at sea have been designed by
their inventor, and novel and more precise methods of
pointing, especially at night, than hitherto practised.
The two mortars which have been constructed were
made partly at Liverpool, by the Mersey Steel Company
and by Messrs. Fawcett, Preston, and Co., engineers,
but chiefly at the Thames Iron Works (late C. J. Mare's,
Black wall).
Had they bean in existence three years ago, there is no
hazard in affirming that we should have given a better
account of the Russian casemated fortresses both on the
Baltic end on the Euxine ; nor can there by any doubt
that their becoming perfected and established in prac-
tice will materially modify the constructive works of

fortification and defence, and alter many of the existing
methods of attack.

THE COUNT AND THB ARTIST.

The Clturrier de Paris relates the following A.
few days since, Meisssonnier, the painter, feeling desirous
of purchasing a small carriage, went to the French Tat-
tersall's. He there saw a pretty coupe fitted up with
great elegance ; harnessed to it was a magnificent chest.
nut horse, thorough-bred, in first-rate harness. This
equipage, combining everything that was brilliant and
comfortable, attracted the notice of the artist, but he
thought within himself that the price would far exceed
what he intened to expend. While he was looking at
the carriage and calculating what would be the probable
cost of it, a fashionable young man came up and said, 'I
believe I have the honour of addressing M. Meissonnier.
The latter gave an affirmative bend. Excuse my pre-
senting myself to you,' said the other, lam the Count
de Vauvenarquee.' Another bend on the part Meissonier.
This carriage and horse belong to me, and I wish to
dispose of them. I saw by your looks that they had
struck your fancy, and if you wish for them they shall
be yours.' Certainly,' replied Meissonnier, I should be
glad to have them, but it is the price which deters me,
as I see they are worth more than I intended to expend.'
You may make me a sketch of your own choice as pay.
merit for the horse and carriage,' replied the count, will
these terms suit you ?' Meissonnier eagerly accepted the
offer. Well, then,' added the count, you have only
to get into the carriage, and my coachman shall drive
you home, and I will leave them at your disposal until
you have found one that will suit you.' Meiesonnier,
.delighted with his bargain, thanked the count, jumped
into the carriage, and ordered the coachman to drive to
Poissy. Before he started, however, the count, leaning
on the coach door, observed to they artist that, although
a coupe was very well in winter, he ought to have a
pretty Atnericane for the summer, and concluded by
saying that if he would make a second sketch as a com-
panion picture to the first, he would send him a very
pretty carriage of that kind, with a handsome iron-grey
horse. This offer was also agreed to, and a few days
after the count arrived at the residence of Meissomier,
at Poissy, driving the said Americane. When the count
was about leaving, he asked if he might be allowed to
inquire what the Emperor paid for the pictur!, of 'L. a
Rise,' which was in the Exhibition of 1855. Meissonnier
replied, replied, 25,000 f. Well then,' added the count, will you
undertake for the same sum to paint me a picture of t.he
same importance and the same size T, Certainly, %all
pleasure,' said the artist. Well, then, I rely on your
promise, and pray do not let me wait too long before it
is finished.' Thus, without drawing his purse-strings,
Meissonnier, by his visit to Tattersall's, got two carriages
two horses, with a good order."—Galignani's Messenger'