Secondly,—That to defend even an arc of 47°, right aft, produces much inconvenience, and a considerable waste of lime, from the dyically of obtaining the re quisite positions for the guns, in consequence of the rud der head, and the projecting limbers of the stern.
Thirdly,—That in defending the arc !afore mentioned, the dangers of fire are very considerable, from the muzzles of the guns being so very much within the whole of the stern frame.
Fourthly,—That only one point of cross fire can be found, at the same lime, in any part surrounding the square stern.
The preceding conclusions having been obtained for the square stern, we shall in the next place proceed to the consideration of the experimental results obtained for the curvilineal stern.* The first bearing determined in the Hamadryad, was at the after broadside port, an eighteen pounder being trained at the greatest possible angle before the beam. The line of fire Act, Figs. 2 and 5, Plate CCCCXCVH, so produced, was found to form with the principal axis XV, an angle HAY of 53'; the outer extremity of the gun being at the same time coinci dent with the side of the vessel. From this direction, the gun was trained into that of LB, abaft the beam, Fig. 2, being likewise the greatest deviation from the line of direct fire the case would admit, without wood ing. This line of fire formed with the principal axis XV, an angle /MX of 36°; the outer extremity of the muzzle being at the same time two inches within the external edge of the port. The arc call thus swept over by the gun, during its translation from the first mentioned position to the second, amounted to every part of which admitted of a ready and effectual defence.
A gun, in the next experiment, was placed at the port in the adjacent quarter of the ship; the part of the square stern vessel, which was proved in the pre ceding experiments, to be entirely underended, but which, in the curvilineal stern, was found capable of making a vigorous defence. To prove this, the first bearing determined, was in the line Cc before the beam, forming with the axis XV, the angle cCY of 78°, being the greatest the position would admit, without wooding the gun, or limiting the range or its recoil. From this position, the gun was removed into that of Dri abaft the beam, its direction, Fig. 2, Plate CCCCXCV11, forming with the principal axis, the angle dl)X of the gun having been found capa lile sweeping the arc Cd of 46°, with perfect freedom.
The next situation assumed, was in the adjoining stern port, where the ease with which it was worked afforded a striking contrast to the difficulties experi enced in the square form, and called forth the repeat ed and warm eulogiums of the officers present. In
stead of having the projecting timbers of the stern frame, and the rudder head to contend with, in de termining the different positions of the guns, as in .the experiments performed on the deck of the Boadi cea; or the danger of blowing out the entire stern frame,1- or of occasioning fire in the vessel, both of which are possible in the case of a vigorous contest, from the muzzle of the gun, when trained right aft, being three feet within the stern frame; the gun in the curvilineal stern could be worked, as truly remarked by Captain \Vise with all the ease and convenience of one at a broadside port; and that, moreover, when it was trained right aft, its muzzle was found to project considerably beyond the stern frame: thus reducing the chances of lire to those of a broadside port where as in the square stern, they would be increased under similar circumstances, very much beyond them.
The first bearing at the last-mentioned port, was in the direction Ee, Fig. 2, Plate CCCCXCVH, towards the adjacent quarter of the ship, and forming with the axis XV, an angle •EX of being the greatest angle from the line of the keel, at which the gun could be trained. The extremity of the gun was an inch within the outer edge of the port; and the di rection of the shot passed quite clear of the adjacent water-closet. Front this situation the gun was turned towards the opposite quarter of the ship, the line of lire V forming w ith the axis XI', Fig. 2, Plate CCCCXCVT, the angle f FY of 30', the gun has ing swept over the arc of 43°, without the smallest difficulty of any kind. Hence it appears, that the entire range or the arc of from the point a, where the fire of the alter broadside gun commen ces, to the point where the utmost limit of the ad jacent stern gun is obtained, is capable of being assailed by an efficient and vigorous fire from either of the ports here alluded to, or from the port in the quarter of the stern; and that, moreover, the weakness of the quarter, which in the square stern has always formed so essential and important an objection, in the cur vilineal stern is entirely removed. It may also be added, that when the gun was trained in the last-men tioned position. its muzzle was only an inch without the outer edge of the port. It will likew ise be re marked that the line of fire passes entirely clear of the dressing room.