 Bull encouraged the locals to use the project as a stepping-stone to a science or engineering degree of their own, and his efforts were widely lauded in the press.In January 1962 the first test shot was carried out, firing an empty sabot.The test was completely successful, so a further two similar firings were abandoned and the second firing was made with a dart-like finned projectile named "Martlet" (after the mythical bird without feet on the McGill University crest).