360 
COMMENDED ESSAY, 1898. 
Immense effect 
of a well directed 
rapid fire from 
Q.F. guns. 
Higher rate of 
fire more likely 
in defence. 
Advisability of 
arming H.A. 
acting with 
Cavalry with a 
suitable Q.F. 
equipment. 
allow at least that time between the rounds, which gives about four 
rounds per minute as the highest rate attainable, even with a Q.F. gun, 
at long and medium ranges ; unless there has been an opportunity to 
prepare the fuzes beforehand for rapid fire at a range already found 
and with the length of fuze already verified. 
Allowing then four rounds a minute as a fair average to be expected 
in rapid fire with Q.F. field guns with fuzes not previously prepared, 
and given that the range and fuze have been accurately determined, 
with a six-gun battery we have 24 shrapnel bursting on the enemy 
during each minute of the rapid fire ; or, allowing about 160 bullets in 
the shell, as in our 12-pr. shrapnel, a shower of nearly 4,000 bullets in 
the same time. Every two and a half seconds a shrapnel would burst, 
dealing forth death, wounds and terror—the latter multiplied exceed¬ 
ingly by the terribly quick succession of such crushing blows. It is 
incontestable that under such a murderous hail an enemy, whether 
horse, foot or guns, would crumble away and disappear ; the material 
effect would be great, the moral effect would be irresistible —nothing, 
not even the best troops in the world, would be able to stand against 
it. How much more fearful would be the effect when using fuzes 
already prepared, when the rate of fire might be as much as eight 
rounds per minute from each gun, or twice as fast ! 
It does not seem likely however that an opportunity would very often 
occur on service, at any rate in attack, for a number of shell to be got 
ready beforehand with fuzes set for a rapid fire on a certain point, 
though series of three or four shells might be so prepared for use against 
moving targets : the occasions above mentioned, when a rapid fire of 
time shrapnel would produce extraordinarily decisive effects, as a rule 
come suddenly or unexpectedly. It is thus apparent that though Q.F. 
guns ivould have opportunities for rapid fire in attack—more especially 
in the close support of the Infantry attack—and would then doubtless 
produce enormous effect, their highest and most effective rate of fire 
may more probably be expected in defence, where there is more likeli¬ 
hood that ranges and fuzes may be found beforehand and ammunition 
prepared for an annihilating fire on selected points. 
But at the ranges at which “magazine fire” is used, when shell could 
be taken straight from the limber boxes and loaded without touching 
the fuzes, the higher rate of fire and the correspondingly larger increase 
of effect might always be expected. It is for this reason that it seems 
right that Horse Artillery acting with Cavalry should be armed with a 
suitable Q.F. gun, for we may expect that when so acting most of its 
fire, at any rate its fire at the decisive moment of the fight, will be at 
these ranges. The chance may last two minutes or less, but thus armed 
its fire would be crushing, even in that short space of time , and would 
probably decide the action by sweeping the enemy’s horsemen off the 
face of the earth, especially if the Horse Artillery of the opposing force 
were not endowed with similar powers. Thus however doubtful may 
be the advisability of arming Divisional and Corps Artillery with Q.F. 
guns, it appears of vital importance that some such provision should be 
made for Horse Artillery when acting with Cavalry. 
(It must be remembered, nevertheless, that this decisive effect could 
only be expected where the H.A. Commander exercises the greatest 
discretion in his use of rapid fire, in reserving it for the decisive 
moment ; for in five minutes of rapid fire he could expend all the 
ammunition in his limbers, that is probably all available for the fight.) 
