COMMENDED ESSAY, 1898. 
343 
This fixes the maximum possible rapidity of fire at “ battery ” fire at 
3 rounds per gun per minute when using shrapnell shell with fuzes set 
as required, having regard to ammunition supply only. 
(It may be mentioned that the average rate of setting time fuzes, taken 
on the four years 1892 to 1895 is 8 seconds.*) 
The third condition cannot be laid down, as it depends on the state of 
the fire discipline of the battery firing. It cannot be less than 3^ 
seconds at battery fire, owing to the limitations imposed by the supply 
of ammunition already mentioned. 
The fourth condition cannot be fixed, as in addition to the length of 
the range itself, it is affected by several variables, the weather, the 
nature of the ground on which the projectile will strike, or the 
background against which the burst of time shrapnel will appear, the 
eyesight and quickness of thought and decision of the battery 
commander—in fact by all those variables which make correct obser¬ 
vation of fire, without which effective shrapnel shell fire is impossible, 
the very difficult art which it is. 
In the following table I have endeavoured to give approximations to 
the rates, on the assumption that the time between the firing of each gun 
varies with the time of flight, and with an empirical addition, increasing 
with the range, to give the battery commander time to make a mental 
calculation on what he observes and come to a decision as to any orders 
he may wish to give. I have, I think put this addition at the 
very lowest figure possible, and, when ranging under difficult conditions, it 
will have to be largely increased. The table however gives a very fair 
guide to the rates of fire which may be expected when ranging 
is completed, and “ battery ” fire carried out at rates which permit 
careful observation to be continued. 
Range, 
yds. 
Time of flight 
in seconds! 
Addition 
for observation 
in seconds 
Time 
between guns in 
seconds 
One round 
per gun in 
1000 
2-38 
3 . 
5-38 
32 secs. 
1500 
3-56 
4 
7*56 
46 „ 
2000 
5-04 
4 
9-04 
54 „ 
2500 
6-5 
5 
11*5 
69 „ 
3000 
8-3 
5 
133 
80 „ 
8500 
10-2 
6 
16-2 
97 „ 
It is advisable, before closing my remarks on rates of fire, to shortly 
discuss a question which has been recently much debated—the advisa¬ 
bility of adopting independent fire by sections or even individual guns, 
or, in order to reduce the time lost by the pauses between guns when 
retaining firing by rotation, to organize Q.F. field Artillery in batteries 
of four instead of six guns ; for it is stated that, owing to an immensely 
accelerated service, guns must now stand idle waiting their turn to fire. 
This argument is, in my opinion, evidently based on the assumption of 
a rapidity of service in excess of that ordinarily obtained by even 
fortress or ship Q.F. guns. 
* I understand that there is at present no prospect of any new pattern being 
introduced which can be set more rapidly. 
t The times of flight employed in this table are the averages of the times of flight 
of the 12-pr. (6 cwt.) and 15-pr. guns for the different ranges, 
