SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1898. 
289 
minute, and where the very existence of a ship may depend upon the 
amount of fire she can deliver during a few fleeting moments. 
Coast defence guns also have to be capable of very great rapidity 
when required, owing to the high speeds of their targets. But the 
Field Artillery can be content with a far lower rate of fire. 
As a proof that the metal case is not essential even for rapid rates of 
fire, stands the fact that in the very latest developments of Q.F. guns 
it has been found possible to do away with if? 
In the Times of 15th December, 1897, there appears an account of the 
trials of a new pattern of 6-inch Q.F. gun, which beat all previous 
records as to speed, for a gun of that calibre, and in which the metal 
case is no longer used. Many of the rounds were fired within seven 
seconds of each other, in spite of the great size and weight of the gun 
and ammunition. 
It may therefore be safely affirmed that a rate of fire amply sufficient 
for Field Artillery requirements can now be attained without the dis¬ 
advantages of the metal cartridge case. And this from a Field Artillery 
point of view is a conclusion of the highest importance. 
3. Absorption of Recoil .—There is no doubt that the full and 
complete absorption of recoil attained by Garrison and Naval mountings, 
and absolutely necessary for the high rates of fire and the high veloci¬ 
ties of projectile required for those services, can never be obtained in 
a field gun mounting. But at the same time it is equally certain that 
a very good practical absorption, sufficient for the more moderate speeds 
of fire and more moderate velocities of field guns, is now quite possible, 
by the use of all latest mechanical devices and by a due adjustment of 
weight of projectile and muzzle velocity to the weight of gun and 
carriage. For the proof of this proposition we must turn to Foreign 
Powers. Germany and France have both, as will be shown hereafter, 
already given practical proof that in their opinion they have defeated 
this difficulty—and what can be done abroad can be done by ourselves. 
It may therefore be taken as proved, that by a proper and up to date 
design, not of gun alone, or mounting alone, but of the whole system 
considered as a whole, the recoil may be so far absorbed that a field gun 
can be effectively fired with far greater rapidity than our present guns. 
4. Sighting can be dismissed in a few words. Sights already exist 
which can be manipulated with great ease and clearness, and without 
being removed from the socket, and their position, &c., is merely a 
detail of design—no difficulty exists. 
5. It is very difficult in a field carriage to give the layer full control 
over his gun without introducing complications, but as much as possible 
must be provided for. 
6. Firing Arrangements .—A most important detail, and one 
deserving of a very large amount of space to itself, could such be 
afforded. All that can be said here is that there is no impossibility 
about designing some more or less automatic firing gear to fulfil the 
requisite conditions. 
There can be little doubt that some sort of percussion firing gear, 
must some day supersede the present cumbrous system of tubes and 
lanyards, requiring several operations to put in the tube, work the 
