Q.F. GUNS FOR FIELD ARTILLERY. 
449 
fears of those who may anticipate difficulties in connection with the 
setting of fuzes, I have carried out some practical experiments with 
our present 15-pr. armament. With two selected men setting fuzes 
at the limber or wagon and another man transporting the ammunition 
to the gun, twelve shell were prepared in fifty-nine seconds; with 
unselected men a similar number of rounds were provided in seventy 
seconds. It is also evident from this that a man will only be saved 
from the detachment to be utilized at the wagon in supplying am¬ 
munition. The possibilities of rapid ranging have been alluded to, 
but no reference has unfortunately been made as to the system to be 
adopted. Some more rapid system should certainly be possible, but 
the whole operation depends so much upon the capabilities of the 
commanding officer for observation, that it is difficult at present to 
see how the pace can be increased unless more opportunities for pre¬ 
liminary training can be provided. Observation is the most important 
feature of every series fired, without it, effect cannot be secured, yet 
it is to observation that the majority of failures at practice are due, 
and it is in this most important portion of the whole system that no 
practical preliminary training is ever thought of or attempted. Under 
existing conditions, if rapid ranging is to be attempted, a “ quick see¬ 
ing C.O.” will have to be introduced at the same time as a quick 
firing gun, for it is impossible to suppose that, if carried out as at 
present, observation will in the future be remarkable for anything 
but the uncertainty of its results. Some practical form of preliminary 
training should be possible and would undoubtedly lead to more suc¬ 
cess than can at present be even expected. By the introduction of 
such a method the only variable feature of our present system would 
be removed, the way paved for a general acceleration of drill and the 
cause of much of the usual annual disappointment and discouragement 
removed. 
What we have now to do is to decide the nature of gun to be 
adopted, what we have then to do is to see that the work of re¬ 
armament is commenced. Our hands have been forced and we are 
already considerably behind our possible rivals, the time for discussion 
has passed and the moment for action arrived; indeed if the facts 
before us are authentic, if the theories deduced are correct, we cannot 
but infer that the situation is an extremely grave one. 
Colonel Sir G. S. Clarke, K.C.M.G., R.E.:—General Maurice,ladies 
and gentlemen, I think that the Royal Artillery Institution is decidedly 
to be congratulated upon these essays, which seem to me both thought¬ 
ful and go-ahead. If there are any persons who think that the British 
Army is a fossilized body I suggest that they should take an early 
opportunity of reading all these essays. We may take it I think that 
the consensus of opinion of the essayists is that some sort of quick 
firing gun is necessary and inevitable. I entirely agree and have 
held that opinion for many years. Eight years ago I had the privilege 
to be associated with Colonel Walford, one of the most experienced 
artilleryman in this or in any other country, in seeing some extensive 
trials of quick firing guns at Magdeburg. We divided the report 
between us—he dealing with guns and I with carriages. His de= 
