Guns Vs. Iron Plates

Mr. Whitworth, whose shells worked suchhavoc in thu iron-plated targets at Shoeburyness, has addressed a note to the London Times, in which he thus sums up the resulta of Lis laat usíjnbhing ex periir.ents. He saya : "Ia these íirst trials of the shells with largo gun, I was desiroiis of nsing mcans already in use as far as I could. - The cavity of tho 7-inch ghell was therefure fiüed with fivo pouads of ordinary cannon powder. _ "It is now evident that greater quantities of powder, either alone or corabined with other cheinieal agenís ore powerful still, may be ernployed as biirsting charges, and much greater 'shatteriig effeets' will be produced. "The simple construetion of shell nrtd tho means of enclosiug the bursting charge employed by" na will, I believe admit of such agents being used with much advantnge and without danger of premature .explosión. "There is also auother point to be ponsidered. Fiat Ironted sheüs, are not de fltícted upwards by water, liku the 'round hpads.' They wiil pass through many fect of water and then penétrate a ship's sido, or damage her rudder or screw, as was shown by experiments made at Portsmouth. A shattered hole made in a ship's side below the Avater line will be phigged, if at all, with very great diffieulty." The main point here set forth is the superiority of the fiat-headed shells over (ha kinds formerly employed." They can be made to pass through the water and strike a vessel below the water-liae without diminishing their forco, while their ftOtual shattering effect upon tho lide of a ship, plated even so strongly as the last target used at Rhoeburyness, is sufficiently proved by the results of the trial in November. In tho same note Mr. Whitworth challenges Sir WflJiam Armatrong to a new trial of strength, but that distinguished artillerist seeme as much disinclined to re enter the lists as the iron-men to encounter a new assault from Mr. Wiiitworth's fearful shells. The coutrorersy which has riiítde guus and iron-broadsidog play for a year at the gamo of shuttlecoek appíars to be decided for the present io favor of the guns.