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THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF Q.F. GUNS 
FOR ARTILLERY IN THE FIELD. 
BY 
CAPTAIN R. A. K. MONTGOMERY, Royal Artillery. 
“ A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED.” 
COMMENDED ESSAY, 1 8 9 8. 
N.B.—To save repetition the present gun is spoken of as a “ Field Gun,” 
the Q.F. Field Gun as a “ Quick Firer ” or “ Q.F.” 
“ In proportion as the importance of fire-arms has increased, and their introduction, 
ascendancy in the field of battle become established, so also step by step 
has the influence of Artillery advanced; comparatively a recent 
invention, only dating as it does from the introduction of firearms, it 
has constantly gained increased independence, and every step in advance 
which has been made by the latter, has been followed by a corresponding 
improvement in the Artillery.” 
So wrote Von Schell in 1877 and the truth of his statement is just at 
present receiving ample confirmation ; the breech-loading rifle of 1866 
was shortly followed by the general introduction of breech-loading 
field Artillery, and, twenty years later, the adoption of a magazine rifle 
appeared to be the signal for a further change in the armament of the 
Artillery. 
At the time when the subject for this essay was issued, it was felt 
that the change was only a question of time ; no nation cared to be the 
first to take the important step, partly from not wishing to incur the 
enormous expense of re-arming, unless it was absolutely necessary, and 
partly from a desire to obtain the best weapon possible before deciding 
on the change. France was generally supposed to be taking the lead, 
and a sketch and the description of a Q.F. Field Gun appeared in 
the Gf-raphic of 23rd January, 1897. It was the invention of M. Canet, 
manager of the Artillery Section of the Societe des Forges et Chantiers 
de la Mediterranie, and the letterpress opened with the remark “ It is a 
moot point whether France or Germany will first undertake the 
re-arming of her forces.” This uncertainty continued for some little 
time and the general impression appeared to be that Germany was not 
doing more than experimenting, but, on the assembly of the Reichstag, 
7. VOL. xxv. 
