287 
THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF Q.F. GUNS 
FOR ARTILLERY IN THE FIELD. 
BY 
MAJOR F. B. ELMSLIE, Royal Artillery. 
“ CIRCUMSPICE.” 
SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1 898. 
SECTION I— Introduction. 
OF the enormous importance of the subject set by the Institu¬ 
tion for this year’s essay, there can be no two opinions. The 
development in power of guns and their projectiles—manifesting itself 
in one direction by high muzzle velocities, in another by vastly increased 
rapidities of fire, and in a third by the introduction of heavier calibres, 
and shells filled with explosives of a power and capacity for destruction 
far exceeding anything hitherto known—is merely a part of a prevailing 
military activity and competition among the greatest Powers of the 
earth which has probably never before been exceeded. This, coupled 
with the tornado-like suddenness of outburst and swiftness of decision 
of modern War, and the gigantic value of the interests involved, especially 
to our own country, now at this moment at a very zenith of prosperity 
and wealth, and which gigantic interests it is the function of our Navy 
and Army to guard—render it imperative that no pains should be spared 
to examine thoroughly every new development in material ; to separate 
the sound from the unsound, and, while rejecting the latter, to take care 
that 'we do not lag behind in adopting the former, lest we should find 
ourselves confronted with superior armaments when the day of trial 
comes. 
Animated therefore by no preconceived notions or theories, but with 
an honest desire to find out the truth, let us humbly try to examine 
into the advantages and disadvantages for Artillery in the Field of one 
of the above indicated lines of recent Artillery development, viz. : the 
introduction of quick-firing guns. 
The point of view from which this question must be really regarded 
is not merely small technical details concerning the guns alone, but the 
suitability or otherwise of an Artillery thus equipped for the general 
service of a Modern Army. It is however desirable, and even necessary, 
to devote a small portion of space to examine whether there is anything 
inherent in Q.F. guns, as they at present exist, which unfits them for 
use as field guns, and this point will be dealt with in the next section, 
7, YOL. XXV, 
