454 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
4. That there should, if possible, be an expense shell store to every 
two guns instead of four. 
5. And an expense magazine in the same proportion. 
He added:— 
There are also a number of minor suggestions of a practical character, 
for improving the several stores and facilitating the service of the guns. 
“ I do not see why the Eoyal Artillery should not be supplied with 400 feet 
of shot rail as asked for, although the Commanding Eoyal Engineer seems 
to prefer to manage it for them. The officers serving the guns appear to me 
the most likely persons to discover by trial where shot rails can be used with 
the greatest convenience and economy of labour. 
“ The report of the Committee referred to on 4874 , and this report, are 
documents of so much practical value, that I think they should be printed, 
or communicated to the Eoyal Engineers Corps Papers and Eoyal Artillery 
Institution f Proceedings 9 for general information.” 
j Deputy Director of Works to Director General of Ordnance. 
2/9/69. i. “ I concur in the adoption in future of the suggestions con¬ 
tained in the report. 
2. “ Plans of the several store buildings and fitments, revised in accord¬ 
ance with the suggestions, are now being made. 
3. “ At the Southsea batteries, the slight deficiencies in the fitments of 
the stores and ammunition chambers will be made good. 
4. “ Other additions, such as the laboratory and shifting room, and the 
shell-filling rooms, were always intended to be made, when funds are voted 
for the purpose. 
5. “ As regards the shot rails, no doubt those which are movable should 
be supplied to the Eoyal Artillery, and laid and used by them where required. 
Some rails however (at the doors of the expense shell stores for instance), 
will be fixtures, and these will be provided and fixed by the Eoyal Engineer 
Department. 
6. “It appears most important that there should be a full trial of the 
shot rails, and I am at present having a drawing made of rails, both straight 
and curved, adapted for the movement of elongated 9-inch shells. 
7. “With regard to the last paragraph of your minute, the two papers 
you mention might be circulated with advantage, as you propose.” 
25 / 10/69 Deputy-Adjutant-General, E.A., to Director General of 
Ordnance, states that he concurs with him and the Deputy 
Director of Works, and would propose that the reports be printed for 
circulation. 
Major-General Lefroy forwards to Lord Northbrook for 
' ' * approval, the proposal for transmitting copies to the Editors 
of the “Proceedings” of the Eoyal Artillery Institution, and Corps 
Papers Eoyal Engineers, as a ready way of giving publicity to this report ; 
and this was approved by the Secretary of State* 
