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take a 60-ton gun of the new type to penetrate at 1,000 yards. Such a gun will be more than equal to the 80-ton guns of the "Inflexible." No Russian ship has armour of such thickness. France and Germany are adopting composite armour, of which about 13 inches is nearly equal to 17 inches of iron armour. The “Inflexible” is the only ship in the Royal Navy that carries composite armour (4018-4027).
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The Colonies are not likely to be attacked by iron- clads, and need not rovide guns of great power. They might be attacked by armoured cruizers like the "Nelson" and Northampton," which carry a 12-inch belt of armour at the water-line capable of resisting a 35-ton gun, and they ought to have guns capable of piercing that thickness at 1,000 yards (4042– 4049). Any guns required for the Colonies will have to be made. The new guns are still under trial; improve- ments are being made even in the 6-inch gun, and it would be well to wait before advising the Colonies to adopt them (4015-4017), though they should cer- tainly be recommended to adopt the new pattern in principle (4028). They should be encouraged to obtain their guns from the trade, because in time of war we should have a trade capable of manu- facturing guns for us, and, by stimulating the trade, the Government establishments will also be stimulated (4030-4032). There would be no objection to giving the Colonies the advantage of Government supervision while guns were being manufactured (4033). It would be best for the Colonies to wait till the patterns of the new guns are settled, so that they may adopt the pat- terns of the Imperial service; but if guns are required immediately, they should procure them from Krupp, whose guns have been well tried (4050-4055).
It is not much more than two years since it became certain that guns of the new type must be adopted. Some of the new 6-inch guns will be mounted in 1881, and the next gun to be taken in hand will be one of 43 tons. Sir W. Armstrong's firm has been commis- sioned to make one of this size, and another has been made at Woolwich. It will take Woolwich about a year to make four of the same pattern for one of our turret-ships (3993-3997, 4056-4059).
If, in making guns of the new type, the service calibres were adhered to, it might be possible to make use of the present ammunition; but considerable altera- tion would be required, and it is questionable whether it would not be less expensive to make new projectiles. The new gas check might possibly be fitted in some of the large colonial engine shops, but it is doubtful whether it would be economical or expeditious to do so (4064-4071).
It would be a great advantage both to the Colonies and to ourselves to maintain uniformity in armaments, ammunition, and stores, both for facility of exchange, and also to induce the trade to manufacture service ammunition, which would enable a supply to be quickly got for the Imperial service on an emergency (4034, 4035, 4063, 4072-4074). Want of uniformity is a serious evil, and the Admiralty find it difficult to keep up their reserves for that reason. Ships of the same class generally go to a given station, and stores are provided accordingly. If it were not so our depôts would have to be very large, and indeed the result of constantly changing the stores would be that supplies would have to be sent for every ship going to a fresh station (4034-4036).
The supply of stores kept in Australia is small, because the squadron is small. The stores are in the charge of a warrant officer of the turret-ship, and a periodical survey is held by an officer of the station. The warrant officer might be able, in addition, to look after reserves belonging to the Colonies; but for a large depôt an increased staff would be required. On board ship a warrant officer has, in addition to other duties, to look after a great quantity of stores of a complicated kind and keep a correct account of them (4037-4041).
It is easier and cheaper to defend a harbour with submarine mines than with guns; but mines are useless unless supported by guns. They can only be used
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with advantage at narrow entrances, and are inappli- cable for defending a place like Cape Town. Hostile ships must be kept at such a distance that their guns could not destroy a town or shipping in a harbour. Swift torpedo-boats carrying Whitehead torpedoes would be useful as auxiliaries to shore batteries (4075- 4084).
October 14, 1880. Major-General Sir FREDERICK A. CAMPBELL, K.C.B., Director of Artillery.
Recent change in Ordnance.—The recent change in the construction of rifled ordnance has been mainly brought about by changes in the manufacture of gun- powder (4098, 4099, 4209, 4211). Larger charges of the new powder can be used, and in order to obtain the full advantage from them the length of the guns has to be increased (4100-4102). The old type of gun with the present powder would not be so efficient, and the new type of gun with the old powder would not answer (4212). The change has been under consi- deration for three or four years, and it was decided, in 1878, to build breech-loading guns of the new type of 43 tons. Other countries are somewhat in advance of us in adopting the new guns (4105-4110). The new guns can be made to yield the same results whether loaded at the breech or at the muzzle. The simplicity of a muzzle-loader is a great recommenda- tion, but the guns are so long that it is difficult to load them at the muzzle without hydraulic power, or other expensive means (4103, 4104). For this reason breech- loaders are preferable, and indeed necessary, for cer- tain positions, such as casemates; but muzzle-loaders might be adopted for land works in the Colonies where simplicity is a great consideration (4163-4174),
Guns for the Colonies.-The Australian Colonies would do well to wait a short time, and follow the type of gun adopted by our Government. If they are to be supplied with guns at the expense of the Imperial Government, they might be given guns of the service patters; but if they are to pay, it would be hard to furnish them with guns that will be superseded two years hence. They should be advised to give no orders till the new pattern is decided upon (4111-4117). It is difficult to say when the patterns of the new guns will be sealed. The 43-ton and 6-inch guns have passed the experimental stage. Both natures are being made at Woolwich and at Elswick; one of the former is almost ready, and fourteen of the latter have been ordered for trial on board ship, but it is possible that further improvements may be made. before the patterns are finally decided upon, and the guns introduced for general use. Probably within eighteen months some type of gun will be approved (4155-4161). The patterns of the carriages and other appliances could soon be sett.ed, and will be deter- mined about the same time (4162).
The Colonies may be safely advised, if they are to have muzzle-loaders, to adopt guns of the new type at once (4181, 4182). It is not possible, at the present stage of the experiments, to speak positively about breech-loaders, but if they succeed thoroughly it would be better, for the sake of uniformity, to have breech- loaders only, with all their complications, than to have both breech and muzzle-loaders (4183, 4184).
The Colonies could easily obtain guns of the new type from the trade. Armstrong's firm could supply them in time. When once the design is settled, they can turn out a great number. They are now making guus of the new type, both breech and muzzle-loaders, for foreign Governments (4)14126). The War Office would probably be willing to assist the Colonies, by providing specifications and supervision (4127). The Government works could supply some of the guns required by the Colonies, but the present dis- position of the War Office is to give orders to the trade in order to keep their works going, so as to have a supplementary establishment to fall back upon (4128). As a general rule, colonial orders for small- arms are given to the trade, the War Office under-
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