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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished paper, 'On the nature of the action of fired gunpowder' by L [Lynall] Thomas

Reference number: AP/41/8

Date: 1858

Description

Thomas aims to show the unsatisfactory nature of 'the present theory of the action of gunpowder', and to point out some of the principal errors upon which this theory is based. He shares the results of various experiments he has undertaken, and which have been repeated in the presence of a Select Committee at Woolwich.

Annotations in pencil and ink throughout. Includes one page of diagrams relating to ballistics and machinery.

Subject: Physics / Ballistics / Gunnery

Received 17 November 1858. Communicated by [John Edward] Gray.

Whilst the Royal Society declined to publish this paper in full, an abstract of the paper was published in volume 9 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the nature of the action of fired gunpowder''.

Reference number
AP/41/8
Earliest possible date
1858
Physical description
Ink and graphite pencil on paper
Page extent
38 pages
Format
Diagram
Manuscript

Creator name

Lynall Thomas

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Citation

Lynall Thomas, Unpublished paper, 'On the nature of the action of fired gunpowder' by L [Lynall] Thomas, 1858, AP/41/8, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_41_8/unpublished-paper-on-the-nature-of-the-action-of-fired-gunpowder-by-l-lynall-thomas, accessed on 10 February 2026

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_41_8/unpublished-paper-on-the-nature-of-the-action-of-fired-gunpowder-by-l-lynall-thomas

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  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

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