Q.F. G-TTNS FOR FIELD ARTILLERY. 443 
if fuzes to be set, and five if prepared before; Lieutenant Buckle 
under the same conditions puts the number at four or eight. 
What is our present rate ? Statistics of practice camps show that 
one round per gun per minute is our present rate of battery fire, or 
two rounds of section or magazine fire when the fuzes have been set 
and ammunition prepared. 
The figures given by Major Inglefield 1 show that a rate of over 
three rounds has been attained during magazine fire, but this rate 
probably could not be kept up for more than a few rounds. Now in 
comparing these estimates we must remember first that the rates 
claimed by inventors represent, in the main, results attainable by single 
guns, with skilled detachments, on favourable platforms, with any 
targets, firing as rapidly as possible. It is entirely fallacious to com¬ 
pare such results with the rate of fire which can be kept up in battery, 
under service conditions, and with due regard to the maintenance of 
fire discipline. Every practical gunner will agree that independent 
rapid fire can only be kept up for very limited periods, as in our 
“ magazine ” or “ section 33 fire, without rendering the detachments so 
unsteady that the shooting will become inaccurate and ineffective. 
Fire must be regular and must be controlled and to obtain these con¬ 
ditions some rapidity may have to be sacrificed. 
Secondly, we must remember that it is unfair to allow quick firers 
credit for all recent improvements while neglecting modifications 
which are suitable and may be adopted to our field guns, the factors 
which limit our rate of fire are, first those peculiar to ail systems, 
viz.:— 
(a) The preparation of the fuzes and supply of ammunition. 
(b) The loading. 
(c) The laying. 
(d) The firing. 
( e ) The requirements of fire discipline. 
Second, that which is eliminated in the case of quick firers, viz., 
the running up. 
Now as to (a) there is no difference between the systems; as to (&) 
a more rapid breech mechanism would be suitable to all field guns; 
(e) relaying is necessary with all field guns, including quick firers, 
owing to the jump of the gun and the changes in the platform due to 
the action of wheels and trails upon a yielding substance, the earth; 
(d), our present system of tube and lanyard is slow, a better method 
should be devised as suggested by Major Elmslie 2 ; such a system 
would be equally applicable to all field guns; (e), the requirements of 
fire discipline have been dealt with and are common to all guns. 
It therefore appears that it is in respect of running up alone that 
the ordinary field gun is and must be inferior to the quick firing, for 
the claim of Major Elmslie 3 that quick ranging is possible with a 
1 Page 314, No 7, Vol. XXV. R.A.I. ‘Proceedings.’ 
2 Page 289, No. 7, Vol. XXV. R.A.I. ‘ Proceedings.’ 
3 Page 292, No. 7, Vol. XXV. R.A.I. ‘ Proceedings.’ 
