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Za autorem: "Miałem szczęście w młodym wieku pełnić służbę jako oficer artylerii w służbie zagranicznej, w czasie wojny. Działo się to w "okresie przednaukowym" i w warunkach, które, jakkolwiek korzystne dla obserwowania niszczycielskiej mocy artylerii zarówno lądowej, jak i morskiej, nie sprzyjały studiowaniu jego budowy. Ale wzbudzili zainteresowanie tematem, który ożywiły ostatnie wydarzenia.

W wielkim sporze, który od kilku lat skupia uwagę na broni rywalizujących ze sobą wynalazców w tym kraju, nie mam pretensji do wtrącania się ani jako komentator wojskowy, ani jako amator teoretyk. Ale oprócz wynalazców, którzy mają wyprodukować nową artylerię, oraz marynarki wojennej i służby wojskowej, którzy mają jej używać, istnieje trzecia strona zainteresowana badaniem - narodu, który w zamian za poniesione nakłady poszukuje skutecznego uzbrojenia. Jako jeden z tych ostatnich bezskutecznie dopytywałem się o jakiekolwiek opublikowane oświadczenie, obliczone na podanie w porządku czasu i zdarzeń kolejnych wspomnień o tym, co wydarzyło się od wojny na Krymie, w związku z ulepszeniem broni palnej. Stwierdziwszy, że żaden taki nie istniał, skompilowałem niniejszy tom, mając nadzieję, że zaspokoimy potrzebę, jeśli chodzi o postęp dokonany w Anglii, co zostało zrobione gdzie indziej, wykracza poza zakres mojego przedsięwzięcia.

Oprócz osobistych obserwacji wyników eksperymentów z artylerią, moje informacje zostały zaczerpnięte z takich akt, które są publicznie dostępne: dokumenty składane przed parlamentem, zeznania składane przez kolejne komisje Izby Gmin, dyskusje w kuluarach naukowych instytucji, przemówień wygłaszanych na dużych zgromadzeniach przy specjalnych okazjach, przeglądów i czasopism, doniesień prasowych o zdumiewającej sile nowej artylerii, pokazywanej od czasu do czasu w różnych punktach wybrzeża, oraz komentarzy pisarzy poświęconych wyłącznie mechanice nauki w jej zastosowaniu do sztuki wojennej. Z tych i podobnych źródeł moim celem było zebranie takich materiałów, które są obliczone na ujawnienie poprzedniego stanu rzeczy, który sprawił, że żądanie ulepszeń stało się koniecznością, oraz wykazanie na każdym etapie postępu dokonywanego przez kolejnych wynalazców, z których wszystkie przyczyniły się do doprowadzenia problemu do punktu, w którym obecnie oczekuje na rozwiązanie."

Spis treści w j. angielskim:

1. The rifled musket.
   1. "Brown Bess".
      1. Early patents for fire- arms.
      2. Little improvement between the battles of Ramilies and Waterloo.
      3. Apathy in other countries.
      4. "Brown Bess" falls into disrepute.
      5. Waste of ammunition in former wars.
      6. The actual performance of the old musket tested in 1838 and 1852.
      7. Improvement of the rifle equivalent to an addition to the army
      8. Defects of the old ordnance.
      9. Its use in conflicts at sea.
      10. Error as to the Duke of Wellington's supposed resistance to improvement.
      11. His real policy and its motives.
      12. Napoleon III. on the evils of military routine (note).
      13. Consequences of the hasty adoption of incomplete systems.
      14. State of fire-arms in the Russian and Indian wars.
   2. Improvement begins - Lord Hardinge and Mr. Whitworth.
      1. Lord Hardinge's measures for improving the rifled musket.
      2. The Delvigné rifle in France.
      3. The Carabine à tige.
      4. The Minié ball.
      5. The Enfield bullet.
      6. The origin of the Enfield rifle.
      7. Original difficulty of producing it.
      8. Lord Hardinge consults Mr. Whitworth.
      9. Mr. Whitworth's reputation as a mechanical engineer.
      10. His engine tools.
      11. Perfect production of true plane surfaces.
      12. Measuring to one millionth of an inch.
      13. Uses of such accurate machines.
      14. The Whitworth system of screw threads (note).
      15. Mr. Whitworth was not a gun-maker.
      16. Declines to supply machinery for Enfield without previous experiments.
      17. Offers his services gratuitously to the Government.
      18. The rifle-gallery built at Manchester.
   3. The "secret" discovered - the Whitworth rifle.
      1. Mr. Whitworth's first idea of a rifled cannon.
      2. His model of a section gun.
      3. The origin of his system of polygonal rifling.
      4. The best form of projectile.
      5. The theory of "rifling" explained.
      6. Effects of rapid rotation.
      7. The proper form of rifling.
      8. A polygon superior to a grooved barrel.
      9. The mechanical advantages of a hexagon.
      10. The Whitworth bullet fitted to the bore of the gun.
      11. Polygonal rifling the least liable to wear by friction.
      12. "Stripping" and "jamming".
      13. "Difference gauges" for gun-makers (note).
      14. Polygonal rifling no new discovery.
      15. Mr. Brunel's rifled musket in 1853.
      16. The "secret" disclosed.
      17. Previous experiments of General Jacob in India.
      18. Diameter of bore in the Enfield and Whitworth rifles.
      19. Rapidity of twist in the barrel.
      20. Effect of "increasing pitch".
      21. The cartridge for the Whitworth fowling- piece.
      22. The rifling of the musket equally applicable to heavy ordnance.
      23. Mr. Whitworth pierces iron with the new projectile.
      24. Results obtained by the Whitworth rifle.
      25. Its performance excels that of the Enfield.
      26. Its accuracy, range, and low trajectory.
      27. In France it beats the Minié rifle.
      28. Committee appointed to test its merits in 1857.
      29. Opinion of General Hay.
      30. Fouling corrected.
      31. The Queen fires the Whitworth rifle at Wimbledon in 1860.
      32. Delay in taking it into the service.
      33. Report of the Ordnance Select Committee on rifled arms in 1863.
      34. Comparative cost of the Whitworth and Enfield muskets.
      35. The former declared superior.
2. Rifled ordnance.
   1. Rifled cannon - cast-iron and wrought-iron guns.
      1. The improvements of the musket lead to that of artillery.
      2. Experience of the French in Algeria.
      3. The first rifled cannon - the Lancaster gun and the canons rayées.
      4. Original attempts on the continent.
      5. The Wahrendorf gun tried in Algeria.
      6. The artillery of Europe reconstructed.
      7. Commander Scott on the rifled guns of Europe (note).
      8. Austria - Russia - Sweden - Holland - Spain - Italy- Portugal - Switzerland - Prussia - Belgium - America.
      9. Effect of the invention of gunpowder on the skill of the soldier.
      10. Efficacy of the rifled musket fatal to the ascendancy of artillery.
      11. Defects of the old ordnance.
      12. The Lancaster gun-cause of its bad success.
      13. Guns of Mr. Bashley Britten, Mr. Lynall Thomas and Mr. Jeffery.
      14. Guns of Mr. Hadden and Commander Scott, R.N.
      15. Unsuccessful attempt to rifle the old cast-iron guns.
      16. The beau ideal of a perfect gun.
      17. Insufficiency of cast iron.
      18. The American attempts to cure this Professor Barlow's experiments.
      19. Professor Treadwell's plan of outer hoops.
      20. Captain Blakely's gun.
      21. His claim to the invention of "welded coil" (note).
      22. Wrought iron - its imperfections.
      23. The Horsfall gun - its prodigious power.
      24. Built-up guns.
   2. The Armstrong Gun.
      1. Sir William G. Armstrong - his history.
      2. His early taste for engineering.
      3. His hydraulic engines.
      4. His hydro-electric machine.
      5. His first rifled gun, 1854.
      6. Six guns made for the Minister of War.
      7. Their success.
      8. His lead-coated projectiles.
      9. Welded-coil adopted for his ordnance.
      10. Process ofmaking it described.
      11. His system of breech-loading and vent-pieces.
      12. Advantages and disadvantages of breech-loading.
      13. The rifling of the Armstrong gun.
      14. The Armstrong segment shell.
      15. Practical effects of high rotation.
      16. Destructive power of the segment shell.
      17. The carriage of the Armstrong gun.
      18. The recoil slide.
      19. Superior workmanship of the Armstrong gun.
      20. Its extraordinary performance.
      21. Its accuracy of fire.
   3. The Whitworth gun - adoption of the Armstrong gun by the War Department.
      1. Uneasy feeling at the close ofthe Crimean War.
      2. Unprepared state of the country to repel invasion.
      3. Warning of the Duke of Wellington.
      4. Desire of General Peel for the improvement of artillery.
      5. Report of Colonel Lefroy on rifled cannon.
      6. Appointment of a committee in 1858.
      7. Their report in favour of the Armstrong gun.
      8. Its introduction into the service.
      9. Complaints of Mr. Whitworth of the inadequacy of the trial.
      10. Neglect of the committee to visit his works.
      11. Explanation of the committee as to this omission (note).
      12. General Peel adopts the Armstrong field-guns only.
      13. Sir William Armstrong gives his patents to the nation.
      14. His expenditure refunded by the Treasury.
      15. His appointment as Engineer to the War Department.
      16. His functions.
      17. His subsequent appointment of Superintendent of the Royal Gun Factory at Woolwich.
      18. Contract with the Elswick Company.
      19. This arrangement objectionable.
      20. Government guarantee against loss to the Elswick Company.
      21. Scruples of the Earl of Derby as to this arrangement.
      22. Objections of Sir James R. Graham, M.P.
      23. Report of the Committee of the House of Commons on Military Organisation in 1860.
      24. Its strictures on the anomalous position of Sir W. Armstrong.
      25. The Armstrong 40-pounder adopted by the navy.
   4. Sir William Armstrong's official relation to the Government.
      1. Prejudicial influences of the arrangement.
      2. It illustrates the wisdom of the Duke of Wellington's objection to the adoption of incomplete inventions.
      3. Lord Herbert's testimony to the propriety of General Peel's policy.
      4. Urgent circumstances in justification of the late arrangement.
      5. Objections to the adoption of an imperfect system.
      6. Inconvenience to the military service of frequent alterations.
      7. Sir William Armstrong's position a discouragement to other inventors.
      8. Embarrassment, supposing a better gun to be produced in competition with the Armstrong.
      9. Injustice to private individuals, working at their own cost.
      10. No instance of partiality imputable to Sir William Armstrong.
      11. His conduct eulogised by the War Department.
      12. False position of the Government in being made a partisan with any one inventor.
      13. Injustice to Mr. Whitworth: evidence of Colonel Lefroy and Colonel Gardner.
      14. Commercially, Sir William Armstrong's appointment injudicious.
      15. Doubts as to the necessity for specially employing the Elswick Company.
      16. No private manufacture of guns could compete with the Elswick monopoly and guarantee.
      17. The Armstrong gun might have been taken into the service, independently of Sir William's appointment.
      18. Inconvenience of employing Sir William Armstrong to manufacture the gun of one of his rivals.
      19. Cost entailed by the arrangement of 1859.
      20. Sums paid to the Elswick Company, compared with the cost of the articles at Woolwich.
   5. The contest.
      1. Neglect of the committee to communicate the result of their decision to Mr. Whitworth.
      2. Circumstances which broke off his communications with the War Office.
      3. Mr. Whitworth rifles cast-iron guns at the request of the Government.
      4. Bursting of the 68-pounder in 1859.
      5. General Peel discontinues further experiments with guns rifled on Mr. Whitworth's principle.
      6. The time and terms of this order to be regretted.
      7. Mr. Whitworth becomes a manufacturer of guns.
      8. The Rev. Sydney Smith's eulogium of perseverance.
      9. Difficulties connected with military routine and esprit de corps.
      10. These prejudicial to civilians.
      11. The army delighted with the new field-piece.
      12. The nation charmed with the Armstrong gun.
      13. Still doubts entertained on the subject.
      14. The scientific press dissentient.
      15. The decision of the committee only the beginning of the contest.
      16. Mr. Whitworth had no change to make in his gun.
      17. His chief anxiety to discover a sufficiently strong metal for heavy ordnance.
      18. Illustration of the rending force of gunpowder (note).
      19. Homogeneous iron - how prepared.
      20. Its great tenacity and strength.
      21. Its suitability questioned by Sir W. Armstrong.
      22. Up to the present no metal discovered entirely satisfactory.
      23. The "cemetery" for burst guns at Woolwich.
      24. Mode of building up the Whitworth gun.
      25. Section of a 70- pounder Whitworth.
      26. Rifling in the Whitworth cannon the same as in the musket.
      27. Rifling from end to end and its advantages.
      28. Power of firing bolts of any length.
      29. The Whitworth projectiles.
      30. Their small cost.
      31. Alleged injury to the gun from friction incorrect.
      32. Remarkable effect of the "tapered" end.
      33. Explanation of its increased flight.
      34. "Windage" how provided for.
      35. Gun adapted for firing shell as well as shot
      36. Breech-loading apparatus.
      37. The lubricating wad.
      38. Renewed communications with the Government.
      39. Southport and the sand formations of that coast.
      40. The trial of the new guns.
      41. The range of the 12- pounder: the greatest known up to that time.
      42. A range of six miles obtained since.
      43. The importance of range questioned.
      44. Its real significance.
      45. The Whitworth 80-pounder at Southport.
      46. Deflection of projectiles caused by the wind (note).
      47. Ricochet firing with elongated projectiles.
      48. Story of the soldiers at Burgos (note).
      49. The Times' account of the Southport experiments.
      50. The Whitworth "principle" of rifling rehabilitated by them.
      51. Fresh trials between the Armstrong and Whitworth guns resolved on.
      52. Causes of their abandonment.
      53. History of the Southport 80-pounder, and its fate.
      54. Sir William Armstrong's operations at Woolwich and Elswick.
      55. His heavy guns taken into the service without trial.
      56. First symptoms of distrust - objections found to breech-loading.
      57. Mishaps with the "vent-pieces".
      58. The Armstrong "shunt" gun.
      59. Uneasy feeling in the navy New trials called for by the press.
3. The Iron Navy.
   1. The nation resolve to construct a navy of iron.
      1. Alarm felt for wooden ships from rifled guns.
      2. Sir William Armstrong's letter of January 1857.
      3. Apprehension excited by shell.
      4. Various shells in use in the navy.
      5. Conflict between the "MERRIMAC" and "CONGRESS".
      6. Horrible effect of shell on wooden ships.
      7. General Paixhans recommends iron sheathing.
      8. Iron ships attempted in America in 1845.
      9. Tried in England without success.
      10. First experiments on iron plate at Portsmouth in 1854.
      11. France constructs iron-clad gun- boats.
      12. The "GLOIRE" and the "NORMANDIE" in 1857.
      13. The first armour-clad ships of war in England.
   2. Iron ships defy artillery.
      1. First experiments in 1856 against the iron-clad gun-boat "TRUSTY".
      2. Special Committee on Iron Plate appointed.
      3. Error in keeping official experiments secret.
      4. Iron plates resist cast-iron shot.
      5. Trial of the Armstrong gun against the "TRUSTY" in 1859.
      6. The ship resists the gun.
      7. The Armstrong 80-pounder fails to overcome the iron-plate.
      8. Four and half inches of iron plate pronounced impregnable.
      9. Phenomena exhibited during these experiments.
      10. Facts ascertained as to the resistance of iron.
      11. Soft iron better than steel for armour-plate.
      12. Ultimate destruction of iron by repeated blows of shot.
      13. Down to 1862 iron believed to be unassailable by shot.
      14. Opinion of Mr. Scott Russell.
      15. Opinion of Sir William Armstrong in 1861, that no shell could penetrate iron-plate.
      16. Opinion of Captain Hewlett, R.N., of the "Excellent".
   3. Whitworth projectiles penetrate armour-clad ships.
      1. Opinion of Sir Howard Douglas that artillery would eventually overcome iron-plate.
      2. Hitherto the failure to penetrate iron had been chiefly attributable to the projectiles tried.
      3. The projectile more important than the gun.
      4. Material as essential as form.
      5. Difficulties of arguing from small results to greater.
      6. Whitworth flat-fronted projectile penetrates iron-plate.
      7. Its properties and their nature accounted for.
      8. The flat-fronted shot penetrates under water.
      9. It pierces iron at an angle of 50°.
      10. Mr. Whitworth rifles a cast-iron 68-pounder for the Government.
      11. And pierces four inches of iron with his new projectile.
      12. Bursting of the gun.
      13. His connection with the Government suddenly severed.
      14. His principle of rifling unaltered since.
      15. He commences to manufacture cannon on his own account.
      16. He adopts "homogeneous iron" for his own guns.
      17. Sir William Armstrong uses the flat-fronted projectile with success.
      18. The Southport 80-pounder made by Mr. Whitworth tried against the "TRUSTY".
      19. It penetrates and would have sunk her.
      20. Extraordinary effects of the shot.
      21. Heat and flame generated by the blow.
      22. The dynamical theory of heat.
      23. The experiments of Mr. Joule and Dr. Mayer (note).
      24. Artillery resumes its supremacy over ships.
      25. Mr. Whitworth's opinion as to iron-clad vessels.
      26. Sir William Armstrong's view of the penetrative power of projectiles.
      27. Mr. Fairbairn's experiments on the compressibility of iron projectiles (note).
      28. Although shot could penetrate iron, ships still safe from shell.
   4. The Whitworth shells penetrate armour-plate.
      1. Experiments on armour-plate in France.
      2. France suspends the building of iron ships in consequence.
      3. Discussion as to the comparative advantages of bruising and penetration.
      4. Proposal to return to the old smooth-bore gun for the navy.
      5. The initial velocity of the smooth bore erroneously thought greater than that of the rifled gun.
      6. The fallacy of this demonstrated.
      7. Opinion of the Duke of Somerset, since corrected by him (note).
      8. Letter of Mr. Whitworth to the "Times".
      9. Lord Palmerston visits Shoeburyness, and orders a large Whitworth gun for experiments.
      10. Circumstance of the making of the gun at Woolwich (note).
      11. The Whitworth shell described.
      12. It explodes without a fuse.
      13. Expedient to delay the explosion.
      14. Shell from the Whitworth 12-pounder for the first time penetrates iron-plate two inches thick.
      15. A Whitworth 70-pounder sends shell through four inches of iron.
      16. A 129-pound shell penetrates armour-plate.
      17. The problem solved.
      18. Extraordinary appearance of the target.
      19. Opinion ofthe "Times" (note).
      20. Opinion of the "Saturday Review".
      21. Discussion renewed as to the damage done by penetrating without bruising.
      22. Farther trials called for.
      23. Renewed trials of the Whitworth gun, 1862.
      24. The scene described, at Shoeburyness.
      25. A shell 151 lbs. weight penetrates the "WARRIOR" target.
      26. Navez' electric apparatus to measure velocity (note).
      27. Farther experiments and like results.
      28. Effects of the fire.
      29. Evidence of destruction.
      30. Fortification by land, how affected by these results.
      31. Chalmers' target.
4. The present aspect of the question.
   1. The choice of the Armstrong field-gun in 1858 justified by the facts.
   2. Questionable results of Sir William Armstrong's appointment at Woolwich.
   3. The military character indisposed to admit error.
   4. Difficulty created by Sir William Armstrong's relation to the Government.
   5. Outlay incurred, two and a half millions sterling.
   6. Opinions that the Armstrong gun is still imperfect.
   7. Mr. Anderson of Woolwich condemns the early Armstrong guns.
   8. This expenditure on the gun of only one inventor.
   9. All other inventions discouraged.
   10. Exclusion of civilians and scientific men.
   11. Approval of the proceedings of the Iron Plate Committee.
   12. Want of scientific members in the committee of the War Office.
   13. The experiment to admit them tried but discontinued.
   14. Unpopularity of the Ordnance Select Committee.
   15. Evidence of the Duke of Somerset.
   16. Opinion ofthe army as to the Armstrong gun.
   17. Colonel Gardner and Colonel Bingham.
   18. General Sir Richard Dacres.
   19. The Duke of Cambridge.
   20. Opinion ofthe navy as to the Armstrong gun.
   21. Sir William Wiseman, Bart. R.N.
   22. Captain Hewett, R.N. - Captain Cooper Coles, R.N.
   23. The heavy Armstrong guns objected to for broadsides.
   24. Accidents from vent-pieces.
   25. The old 68-pounder smooth bore preferred to the Armstrong rifled 110-pounder.
   26. The House of Commons' Committee report in favour of the old 68-pounder as against iron plate.
   27. This conclusion erroneous.
   28. Sir William Armstrong's defence of his gun.
   29. Would prefer steel as the material.
   30. But uses welded coil in the meantime till the other can be procured.
   31. Breech-loading not essential to his "system".
   32. His system mainly consists in his application of welded coil.
   33. Not injured by rough handling in war.
   34. His objections to the Whitworth rifling.
   35. States that there is no one gun "in the service" able to pierce the "WARRIOR" target.
   36. Reasons why one has not yet been made by himself.
   37. Uneasy feeling in the navy.
   38. Committee of the House of Commons recommend immediate trials of other guns, in competition with the Armstrong.
   39. To these trials scientific men must be admitted.
   40. Past expenditure to be no obstacle.
   41. Pending trials between the Armstrong and Whitworth guns only.
   42. This not sufficient.
   43. A perfect gun not unattainable.
   44. Till it is acquired all inventors should be encouraged to compete.