[100] In Vol. IV of the _Proceedings of the Royal Artillery Institution_, in an article by General Lefroy, an order is quoted showing that trials were made of firing shells horizontally by the Royal Artillery in Canada in 1776. The author also shows that the trials made by the French in 1784-6 were brought to the notice of Lord Nelson. In Vol. V is the following extract: “Experiments were made on Acton Common in 1760, to fire coehorn and royal shells from 12-and 24-pounders, in order to be applied to the sea service; but as the shells were found frequently to burst in the guns, it was thought too hazardous to introduce them on board ships of war.” [101] The first public demonstration was given by Lieut. Shrapnel, R.A., before the G.O.C., Gibraltar, in the year 1787. [102] Simmons: _Effect of Heavy Ordnance_, 1837. [103] James: _Naval History_. [104] A short review of both books is given in the _Papers on Naval Architecture_, edited by Morgan and Creuze, 1829. [105] See Hugo’s _Toilers of the Sea_. [106] “As for guns,” wrote Fuller in his _Worthies of England_, comparing the relative merits of the inventions of printing and gunpowder, “it cannot be denied, that though most behold them as instruments of cruelty; partly, because subjecting valour to chance; partly, because guns give no quarter (which the sword sometimes doth); yet it will appear that, since their invention, Victory hath not stood so long a neuter, and hath been determined with the loss of fewer lives.” [107] At a later date this reduction in number of types of ordnance was extended to cover land artillery. In ’62 the French brought down the number of different calibres to four: one for the field, one for the siege, and two (the 30-and 50-pounders) for the navy. [108] Dahlgren: _Shells and Shell-Guns_, 1856. [109] By this time Denmark, Holland, Russia and Sweden had all recognized the possibilities of shell guns, and had adopted them in greater or less degree. By this time, too, France actually possessed more steam war-vessels than we had ourselves. [110] Simmons: _Effects of Heavy Ordnance_. [111] The crossbow was looked upon as a weapon unworthy of a brave man; a prejudice which afterwards prevailed with respect to fire-arms (Hallam: _Middle Ages_). [112] The Hon. T. F. Fremantle: _The Book of the Rifle_. [113] _Le Développement des Armes à Feu_, 1870. [114] In this aspect of the origin of the grooves there is a curious analogy between the rifle-barrel and the drill used in machine tools. In the primitive drill the shank is appreciably less in diameter than the hole cut by the drill, so that the drillings can easily work their way out of the hole. When, however, it was desired to make the shank almost of the same diameter as the hole, so as to form a guide, it was necessary to flute it with two grooves or more to allow the drillings to get away. In the course of its evolution these grooves became spiral.