342 
COMMENDED ESSAY, 1898. 
is sure to take place, will cause a jar quite sufficient to prevent the layer 
standing up against a shoulder piece, and also throw the gun off the 
objective. 
Moreover since we depend on the uncertain anchorage of a layer of 
earth it seems improbable that we can ever dispense with the standing 
clear of the numbers when the gun fires. 
From these three causes alone it is highly doubtful whether the 
service of the Q.F. field gun will ever, under the most favourable cir¬ 
cumstances and under conditions as nearly similar as possible (that is 
using ready prepared ammunition), be accomplished in less than double 
the time taken by the fortress Q.F. gun. 
This gives a maximum 'possible rate of fire of about five rounds per 
gun per minute.. 
(IV.) Maximum rate of fire Probably obtainable. 
In the case of “ section ” fire, when case is used, or when “magazine ” 
fire, with rounds of shrapnel ready prepared, is employed, I can see no 
reason why the maximum possible rate of fire of five rounds per gun 
per minute cannot be maintained so long as the supply of prepared 
ammunition lasts. After this the conditions become much the same 
as for “ battery ” fire carried out at the utmost rapidity possible. 
In the case of “ sub-division ” and “ battery ” fire with shrapnel shell 
and time fuze, the probable rate depends :— 
1. On the rate of service of the gun (not including preparation 
of ammunition). 
2. On the rate at which ammunition can be supplied with fuzes 
correctly set. 
3. On the minimum interval between the firing of the guns to prevent 
confusion. 
4. On the range of the objective, when “ranging,” or when it is 
considered desirable to observe the burst of each round before the gun 
next in rotation fires. 
The first of these conditions has been determined, viz., 5 rounds per 
gun per minute. 
The second has also been practically fixed by actual trial on a very 
extended scale. The average time taken to fill two portable 
magazines with ammunition with fuzes correctly set is 2 minutes, 15 
seconds, or 22| seconds per round. This average is that of 47 horse and 
field batteries tested in 1897 at Okehampton, Glenbeigh, Shoeburyness 
and Lydd.* 
The average of 22J seconds should be much reduced in future, as it 
has been decided for the future to take off the canvas covers of the 
cartridges win n the shell are fuzed.f The untying of the fastening and 
removal of these covers takes a considerable portion of the total time. 
If the fastening be a bow knot the time is reduced to 17 seconds ; and 
probably the time taken in future, when no covers are used, will not be 
much more than 12 or 14 seconds. On the other hand this does not 
include the time taken in carrying the ammunition up to the gun. 
Making an addition of 6 or 8 seconds for this and for difficulties which 
must be expected on service, such for instance as having to work with 
reduced numbers, &c., I believe an average of 20 seconds per round will 
be found very close to the truth. 
* Annual Report, School of Gunnery, Horse and Field Artillery, 1897, pages 32 to 34. 
j- Annual Report, School of Gunnery, Horse and Field Artillery, 1897, page 9. 
