1908] on Ancient and Medmval Weapons. 323 



population, as in England, might possibly shoot a flight arrow, with 

 a long-bow, to a distance of from 340 to 350 yards. 



Very few of the most powerful and expert archers of the present 

 day, even with specially constructed bows and light flighting arrows, 

 are able to achieve a range of 300 yards, even 290 yards being an 

 unusual feat. 



.There is no reason whatever to suppose that our forefathers were 

 so vastly superior in strength and skill as to exceed these distances by 

 so much as one hundred or more yards, as stated by many old authors, 

 notably by Sir John Smyth, who gives 440 yards as the range of the 

 English long-bow ! The farthest fairly well authenticated shot with 

 the long-bow and a flight arrow is 340 yards. It is said to have been 

 made in 1798, by a Mr. Troward, and represents the record of a 

 century of effort on the part of many archers who have striven to 

 shoot as far as possible with their bows, but who have, however, never 

 approached- nearer than 30 yards to the long shot credited to Mr. 

 Troward ! 



Shakespeare tells us that 280 to 290 yards was a notable distance 

 to attain with a flight arrow in his day, and it is curious that this is 

 just what a very strong and skilful archer of our time is capable of. 



Many of our castles that were built when archery flourished, are 

 within 300 to 350 yards of eminences that overlook them. 



The courtyard of Carnarvon Castle is commanded by a hill only 

 330 yards distant ! If mediaeval archers shot from 350 to 400 yards, 

 they could have poured their shafts into the garrison ! Berkeley 

 Castle is another example. The church at Berkeley is within 

 50 yards of the castle keep. The tower of the church is, however, 

 isolated, and stands at 170 yards from the courtyard of the castle. 

 The tower was placed at this distance from the body of the church 

 so that the archers of an enemy might not annoy the garrison of the 

 castle should they have occupied the summit of the tower, had church 

 and tower stood together in the usual way. 



In the case of Berkeley Castle it will be observed that only 

 170 yards was considered to be a safe distance against the assaults of 

 bowmen. 



Whatever its extreme range may have been, there is small reason 

 to doubt that, at 150 yards, the old EngHsh long-bow quite equalled 

 if, indeed, it did not excel, the Brown Bess or flint-lock carried by our 

 soldiers till 1840. If a hundred good marksmen armed with the 

 flint-lock as used at Waterloo, and a hundred of our archers of 

 Crecy and Agincourt could be opposed in line at 150 yards, the 

 archers would, in my opinion, gain an easy victory, for they could 

 discharge at least six arrows for every bullet fired by their opponents, 

 and could also, I believe, shoot with more accuracy and effect. 



As an example of the inferiority of the musket in range, when 

 compared to the bong-bow, I will quote from an old diary of May 10, 

 1811. On this day it is recorded that Welhngton ordered one of the 



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