§ THE DUKE OF SOMERSET, in moving for Returns respecting the trials of shells against iron plates, said, that at the close of the Crimean War they were told that their ships and gunboats plated with 4-inch plates would not keep out the shot that would be used against them. Since then, they had been constantly making experiments, and the thickness of their plates had grown to 12 inches. These, also, at the time of their adoption, were deemed to be impervious. While they had been making experiments in thickness, they had been also making experiments in quality. But they had been improving their guns too, and it appeared that shells fired out of comparatively small guns could pierce their 12-inch plates. Scientific men seemed to be agreed that the use of wrought iron for the purposes of warfare was becoming obsolete—it was not strong enough either for shells 1272 or for guns. They had not, however, got a sufficiently good quality of shell. It was now necessary that they should have a stronger metal, and it appeared to him that that stronger metal was to be found in the steel recently introduced by Sir Joseph Whitworth. The strength of this metal had been tested at recent trials, and it had been found that the shells were able to penetrate iron plates that had before resisted shells made of the usual metal. There was no reason why both the shells and plates should not be made of the stronger metal. He believed that if they had shells made of better metal than that now in use, a 40 or 50-ton gun would do everything which they now required from a 100-ton gun, and he thought that they might produce a plate that would resist anything of inferior iron. He believed they could not only make a better gun, but they could have iron of far greater strength without getting more weight; and, if that could be done, it would be a great advantage, because there would be less weight to carry, and they would have a more powerful shell. If Sir Joseph Whitworth's shell carried double the charge of the Woolwich shell, and if they wanted a still longer range, they must have a more rapid twist, and they could have a more rapid twist if they had a gun of strength sufficient to bear that more rapid strain. He believed that all this could be done, and he was, therefore, anxious to draw the attention of the noble Lord who represented the War Office to the subject. He should be glad to hear that the experiments now going on would be conducted fairly—because, after all, Woolwich was a manufacturing Department which had a natural prejudice in favour of its own plans, and he hoped that that would not be allowed to interfere with the fairness of the trials and with their obtaining the best projectile as the result of them. He had, therefore, formally given Notice of a Motion for a Return of the trials of shells against iron plates, stating the general result, and also the weight and shape of the various shells, and the thickness of the iron targets.
Moved that there be laid before this House, Return of the trials of shells against iron plates, stating the general result, and also the weight and shape of the various shells, and the thickness of the iron targets.—(The Duke of Somerset.)
§ LORD WAVENEYsuggested, that in the Returns to be presented to the House there should be a separate column showing whether the shells were cylindrical or otherwise.
§ VISCOUNT BURYsaid, the trials at Shoeburyness referred to by the noble Duke were being carried on by a Committee composed of Royal Artillery, Naval men, and Engineers, and, although they were nearly completed, it would be premature at this time to consent to the production of the Return described in the Motion. As to the suggestion of the noble Duke that the authorities of Woolwich might have a bias in favour of their own weapons and projectiles, he could assure the noble Duke that there was no bias in the minds of the officials for or against any particular inventor or class of shell, and the matter would be considered absolutely on its merits, with the idea of producing the most perfect projectile and gun. They were quite aware that Sir Joseph Whitworth, with very great ingenuity and by the aid of the appliances at his command, had produced a steel very much stronger than any yet tried, and that was one of the points before the Committee at Shoeburyness. The results would be published in due time; but it would be quite premature to say anything before the experiments were concluded.
§ THE DUKE OF SOMERSETsaid, of course, if the Returns were not complete, he would not now press for them; but if there was no objection on other grounds, and he could not think there was, he should again move for them after Easter.
§ Motion (by leave of the House) withdrawn.