The doubtful nature of Mr. Whitworth’s experiments must be apparent from the fact that they were made in a shed, from which strong currents of air were excluded: any bullet would range accurately in vacuo, or in atmosphere equally quiescent; deductions, therefore, drawn from such experiments must be worthless. Battles occur not under such favourable circumstances; protuberances on bullets tell most in high currents, and least in a quiet atmosphere; so that had the experiments been instituted in the open air, they would doubtless have yielded a different result. The hexagonal bullet of large size has been proved to be very eccentric indeed in its flight; hence a bullet of the smallest dimensions was used, for had it been larger, its great enemy, the atmosphere, would have rendered the chance of even partial success perfectly hopeless.
Now, observe what would be the effect of extension of length and decrease of diameter in the Greenerean expansive bullet. Harden it by alloys, as adopted in the Whitworth; use the same charge, and the probability is great, that, from the absence of extreme friction, it will excel in range, accuracy, and penetration the Whitworth, as much as that does now the Enfield.
If the Government can see any important advantage to be gained by extending the range we now possess; if anything is to be gained by reduction from 25 to 50 bore; if, indeed, there is any point which is advantageous in the Whitworth, I will pledge my reputation that this may be obtained in the expansive principle: and that, too, with a much less expenditure of expellant force.
The “hoodwinking” of the public by not disclosing the fact that the pressure of the gunpowder in the Whitworth was double, the bore being but one-half, is at best an attempt at concealment not creditable to the parties concerned. Knowledge of the principles which regulate projectile science is not so scanty as to allow the palm to be carried away from the profession, and worn by a gentleman who, on his own admission, is unpractised in the science of gunnery. The science to be effectually improved must be carried on at the cost of the nation, as Mr. Whitworth’s experiments were. This fact certainly bears the appearance of a good precedent, and I hope it may be extended.
Mr. Whitworth, like General Jacob, has had to sacrifice scientific economy in order to obtain the points he required. I have already dilated upon the truism that all projectiles range with the greatest economy which have the centre of gravity in the head or fore part of the bullet. I have also pointed out the fact that the elongated projectiles which have not the centre of gravity in the head, turn over during their flight after leaving the muzzle of the gun; and this is also found to be the case in rifles having a greater degree of spiral than the Enfield, one turn in six feet 6 inches. To meet this difficulty, therefore, General Jacob adopts one turn of spiral in every three feet: thus his bullet in passing out has double the friction of the Enfield; and when we look at the fact that he is further compelled to increase the length of his bullet to 21⁄2 diameters, a little reflection will point out the entire want of economy in his whole arrangement.
On turning to the Whitworth, we find that, in order to ensure his bullet keeping point foremost in its flight, he has to double the very great spiral adopted by Jacob: thus we have all its concomitant disadvantages, friction, expenditure of matter, and danger of bursting the gun. When we contemplate such arrangements as exist in these two guns, it must be evident that they are both self-destructive. No system of projectiles can be durable which is effected by straining all the acknowledged principles of mechanics; and this has been done in each of these cases.
The scientific world knows well that a much higher rate of speed can be attained in railway travelling than is daily practised; but they also know that it can only be obtained in the same way as Jacob and Whitworth obtained their range in gunnery: namely, by an excessive expenditure of fuel, and a wear of engine amounting to comparative destruction; whilst, at the same time, the danger is so much increased that it would be folly and recklessness to persist in such a course. The question, therefore, resolves itself into this; that in locomotion and in projectile science, if we would have them perfect, we must study the mode of obtaining the greatest results with the least expenditure of means.
Facility of loading must at all times be of great importance: the soldier cannot have the means of cleaning his rifle when in action, and yet if the hexagonal principle were to be adopted, it must be repeatedly cleaned, or it would be almost impossible to load it, and when discharged it would either burst or its fire would not be effective. During such a war as that in India, going on day and night, a soldier could not be expected to wash out his rifle after every half-dozen shots.
The field in which experiments are carried on is very different from that of a battle. Experiments, as detailed, sometimes turn out most fallacious when put to the use for which they are intended; and in no case is this more apparent than in breech-loading arms: thousands of rounds may be fired in a few days with great success; but extend that over twelve months, a certain number being fired every day, and the gun being cleaned after each day’s practice, and long before thousands are fired, the gun displays weak points—points which could not be discovered in the lesser experiment. So it is in practice: a gun left dirty for hours is undergoing rapid destruction; the unctuous deposit from gunpowder has such an affinity for iron that minute galvanic cells are formed on its surface in a very short time: half an hour after a gun has been discharged in a damp atmosphere these operations may be seen to be going on with rapidity, and an old gun on the hexagonal principle (if one should last long enough to grow old) would not be a very desirable weapon, in point of safety.
The comparative cost of ammunition for the hexagonal rifle and the Enfield, is a point of no little importance. Calculation gives the former at something equivalent to 41⁄2d. or 5d. at each discharge, while the latter cannot exceed 11⁄4d., or at most 11⁄2d.—a serious question for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.