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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Referee's report by James Clerk Maxwell, on three papers 'On the resistance of the air to the motion of elongated projectiles having variously formed heads' by Francis Bashforth, 'On the resistance of the air to rifled projectiles' by J A Longridge and 'On the law of the resistance of the air to rifled projectiles' by Charles Watkins Merrifield

Reference number: RR/6/17

Date: 19 May 1868

Description

Francis Bashforth paper
Recommended for publication in the 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'. Refers to ballistic pendulum of Benjamin Robins. Some of the work has already been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Artillery Institution.

Subject: Mathematics

[Published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society]

J A Longridge paper
No clear statement regarding publication in the 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'. Refers to work published in the Report of the Special Armstrong and Whitworth Committee.

Subject: Mathematics

[Published in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society of London']

Charles Watkins Merrifield paper
Recommended for publication in the 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'. Refers to Lee-Metford rifle. The results are not as 'complete as might be wished', but the scale and consistency adds value.

Subject: Mathematics

[Published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society]

Reference number
RR/6/17
Earliest possible date
19 May 1868
Physical description
Letter on paper
Page extent
6 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

James Clerk Maxwell

View page for James Clerk Maxwell

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Citation

James Clerk Maxwell, Referee's report by James Clerk Maxwell, on three papers 'On the resistance of the air to the motion of elongated projectiles having variously formed heads' by Francis Bashforth, 'On the resistance of the air to rifled projectiles' by J A Longridge and 'On the law of the resistance of the air to rifled projectiles' by Charles Watkins Merrifield, 19 May 1868, RR/6/17, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_6_17/referees-report-by-james-clerk-maxwell-on-three-papers-on-the-resistance-of-the-air-to-the-motion-of-elongated-projectiles-having-variously-formed-heads-by-francis-bashforth-on-the-resistance-of-the-air-to-rifled-projectiles-by-j-a-longridge-and-on-the-law-of-the-resistance-of-the-air-to-rifled-projectiles-by-charles-watkins-merrifield, accessed on 14 January 2025

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_6_17/referees-report-by-james-clerk-maxwell-on-three-papers-on-the-resistance-of-the-air-to-the-motion-of-elongated-projectiles-having-variously-formed-heads-by-francis-bashforth-on-the-resistance-of-the-air-to-rifled-projectiles-by-j-a-longridge-and-on-the-law-of-the-resistance-of-the-air-to-rifled-projectiles-by-charles-watkins-merrifield

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  • Referee Reports

    Date: 1832-1954

    This collection contains reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society. Started in 1832 when the system was formalised, it is a record of the origins of peer review publishing in practice.

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