Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-07-04
snEps - AMEE.E.sV.

From the London Saturday Bsvisw, April lgl
The result Of al tbe trials and experiments Of
the last few weeks as 70 Tho relative power of
artillery and Ermor, ought b teach ssgs- sJ-
Ycca-ss en- both sides of The controversy TO be
Wsre Of too nasty q generalization from inc5In-
Blete 6ats. Scientifically considered, the eompe-
titiou between edns and arn0r rs left the rel
alive position Of Tia arts Of attack and defense
very nearly wbegs 81 wag before so Warrior was
Instructed. TIE WeUi5r ,arect is by fer the
aast sample Of defensive plaiiBg Nhch hiss yet
been produced, aud the new Armstrong gun
1uipssses, in abeUt Gn equal degree, the most
powerful ordnance which has been previously
uied. The gun has so FAR gained the day
o il can, at short range, penetrate the
slJu.ess cUiGsss which has ever been pat
agoU a ship, Just as ths Whisworth gun, and
fsrmer specimens Of Sir W. ArmssT0BK's manu-
lecture, succeeded in piercing the less effective
plates which were tested last year on-lEe TrUsty.
The last experiments which have been tried Ct
s. oebUryness 60, Indeed, further still for it has
bsea found possibie, by Increasing he chsTgs Of
p8wder t. 80 lb5.s TO penetrate O target Of rEree
ive-iacb plates b5lts5 togo her, and making g.
mess Of wrought iron Eiseen iccbes thick. Thus
lbs Old conclusion, bba1 no srraor is absolutely
imgenstfa5ie, which at first seemed 10 have
-sen n7gsnTsd by the engagement in HamptsH
Roa3s, is once mere rs-esla5}lsted, bus &c is.ssill
az 4p@A Al9tLh-Af as 10 d. uoleLEt WI-tAtL En4
best g1n that can be constructed viii pierce
he best possible iron sbeathing asany considsra-
5ls range. It's IS yet trua, as it.Wssa year ago,
that1r0D case1 SHIPS are prO3t against shells,
and Is Is only by ioreesstiur tha probable
Improvements Of srmOr ard Cauuon tdst auy
conf scture can be formed as 30 the DEGREE
Of invu.neIabiisy which plated ships nay
qlinsieiy be iound to possess. fortunately
The p@rseical question, what ouZht TO be done,
at the present j~uucture, is rot altogether
dependent on the eettlementro of the engineering
contest It's most certain that tho race b.
tween guns ans SHIPS viii not be finally won
until after considerable progress shall have been
m8ds On both sides, beyond the poiat 70 which
invention and meehanieal skill have already
carried us and it's 0bvieus that the only sara
course for a country like EBglsnd is to be pre-
pared tsr either issss, BY Bringing TO lha highest
oossibfs perfection both The Weapoas Of attack
and ne D.ans Of defense. We have seen the
experience Of one week alna6st reverse Tire cen
~clEsieas Of the week before; but though this
nsy teach IS caution in prediction, the add
lons which have been made to our experience
afford solis ground for a reascnabls estimate OF
what g sEeadT done, and, perhaps, even for q
reasonable conjecture IS to what Eaay be done
hsfeaftar.
Let as consider, FIRST, the progress, actual ard
Dostibls, in tie msnufacfuringc If artillery. la
he Il S. pI0cai fhs reject experiments vita off
lersnt Kinds Of guns have finally determined
he relative msliis Of smooth bore and rided
yunS, ans have settled ths mesguIe of the peae-
ratug power OF cannon bya very simple rule
Pfaehes kas, il this matter. ezactly cor rmed
The conclusions IS tteory. The measure of the
power Of ssUa is different aecOr1ifg to the pr
osse fer whacb the shot is fred, If it is in-
-asded TO shattsT G. eyersbr0W an obs sclu,
e effect Of g shot ought to vsry-aad, We
.bcliaN, Isl found in ptsctics &c vary-with
he momeAtRm. That IA to say, It is doubled
il you double the weight, and also doubled
# you deGble the velocity Of impact For such
purpose. II IS, therefore, inoatefial whether the
weight or the velocity Of the p~rojscii,a ia ir-
creased. Bat if the object is to punch a hole
theeugh 8 resisting plate, the measure Of the
tH5enYe force IS, By theory, net the momentum,
ou. WHIST mathematician call the RS Uiga of the
6al. which varies directly IS tho weight, but IN
lie Duplicate Tajo Of the velocity Hence, if
Ire weight Of the ball IS doubled, the peue-
1aliig power is only doubled, Whtlo if you
iaabis the velocity y0u actaslly quadrupis the
peaetIating force. Experiment. has exacdY coz
timed this, as Sir W. Armstrong explained in
ais. recent letter, ana has az he same time
furaished the requisite desR fer estimating ex-
acily the relative vslus Of smooth boTes aud
rihsd ordnance.
gAe practioal resalt is, that witb guns Of equal
hefs, ths riae preiectle, in lhe most approved