TRACT 34.

IN GUNNERY, 1789.

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elation for a true system of practical gunnery, yet the follow-ing inferences may nevertheless ba usefully deduced fromthem.

First. By comparing the first-mentioned velocities bythe short 3-pounder, with the velocities of the long one in.this table, loaded with one pound of powder, at differentdistances, it may be perceived that the superior velocitywith the long gun, which was found to be near f greater, isreduced to an equality with the short one, during the flight•of the ball through only 230 feet, or less than 11 yards; andas the lengths of these guns are very nearly in the propor-tion of 2 to 1, which is as great a difference as ever occurs inservice between any two guns of equal calibre, it fully ac-counts for the small advantage obtained in the ranges ofshot, by any increased length which the limits of practicewill admit of: and also how very subject to error any deci-sion must be, in determining the velocities correspondingwith a certain length of gun, which is founded on the ex-tent of their respective ranges; since the irregularities inthe shots’ flight, added to the last-mentioned circumstance,must render them very uncertain criteria, in all cases wheregreat velocities are concerned.

2 dly. This table also affords a further confirmation ofthe small advantage, in point of range, which is obtained byincreasing the charge, beyond what is necessary to commu-nicate a certain velocity to the ball; since the increased re-sistance to great velocities operates so powerfully, that theyare quickly reduced, and soon destroyed : for example, itappears by the table, that the velocity communicated by 16ounces of powder, after the shot has passed through a spaceof 230 feet, is reduced to nearly the same with that of 12ounces of powder, in a flight of 30 feet. It may also be ob-served, that the velocity with 24 oz of powder, at 180 feetdistance, and that with 16 oz at 30 feet distance, are nearlyequal; differing only by 4 feet per second, though at theirfirst discharge from the piece they differ by as much as 149feet per second.

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