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the | superiority of the Krupp breech-loading steel gun was 
definitely established. 
The advantages of breech loading were then detailed thus :— 
(1) Larger charges of slow burning powder can be used, 
since the guns are longer. 
(2) These large charges can be packed in a more compact 
way in chambers of considerably larger diameter than 
the bore. It is well known that long charges produce 
a wave action which occasions irregularities of 
pressure. 
(3) Loading is more rapid. This culminated in the 
adoption of quick firing guns. 
And the Lecturer stated that our modern guns were breech 
loading, made of toughened steel, having a great comparative 
length, with a muzzle velocity of 3,000 feet per sec., which gave 
them a longer range, flatter trajectories, and much greater 
accuracy, and quoted instances exemplifying the importance of 
length of range: (1) At Elandslaagte, General French, with the 
Natal Artillery Volunteers and their 7-pounders, was powerless to 
dislodge a party of Boers who had cut the line between Lady- 
‘smith and Dundee, having been outranged by another party of 
Boers who opened fire on him and compelled him to retreat ; (2) 
at siege of Ladysmith, the 6 inch Creusot guns of the Boers 
planted on the surrounding heights were made to keep their 
distance by a couple of 4.7 inch guns belonging to the Royal 
Navy ; (3) in the Japanese war the Russian field guns appeared 
to have ranged further, while the Japanese guns were lighter and 
more mobile ; and although the Japanese captured several Russian 
field guns they were useless, as essential fittings had been 
removed ; but the Japanese secured patterns of these lost fittings, 
made them, and last February they used them against their 
former owners at Taling Pass, east of Mukden, and completely 
outranged them. ‘To the Boers belong the credit of first bringing 
into the field far heavier pieces than had ever been dreamt of 
before in connection with a field army. We have followed their 
example in associating a Howitzer Brigade and three Garrison 
Companies having 4.7 inch guns with our Army Corps. More- 
over during Boer war quick firing guns and pompoms (quick 
firing 1 inch guns) were first used ; the latter are now attached to 
our Cavalry Brigade. 
As regards quick firing guns, the Lecturer emphasized the 
following points:—(1) The recoil must be nullified or absorbed 
so that the gun may be loaded while it is being fired ; (2) breech 
action must be most rapid, one action being sufficient to open or 
close it, the empty cartridge case being also thrown out by the 
act of opening ; (3) ammunition must be enclosed in a brass 
