THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
75 
Perhaps the best distinction which could be drawn, looking to the natural 
meaning and application of the words/ would be to call those fuzes which 
depend upon the direct impact of the fuze “ Percussion,” and those which do 
not require for their action such direct impact, but merely the concussion 
resulting from the impact of the shell, “ Concussion ” fuzes. 
The adoption of this definition, however, would have the effect of altering 
the nomenclature of all the fuzes of this class, whether rifle or smooth-bore, at 
present in the service to Concussion, since there is no existing fuze which 
depends upon direct impact for its action. 2 
In 1863 s a definition was suggested by the Ordnance Select Committee, 
and adopted to govern the future application of the words percussion and 
concussion. 
This definition is as follows: “ A percussion fuze is one which is prepared 
to act by the shock of discharge, but put in action by the second shock on 
striking the object; a concussion fuze is one which is put in action by the 
shock of discharge, but the effect of that action is restrained until it strikes 
the object.” 4 
Under this definition all existing fuzes become percussion, 5 and the only 
fuze (now no longer in the service) which fulfils the requirements of a 
concussion fuze is Freeburn's, 6 on which, indeed, it is probable this definition, 
by an inductive process, was framed. 
There are at present two percussion fuzes for smooth-bore ordnance; 
invented by Mr Pettman, a foreman in the Royal Laboratory, Woolwich. 
(1) Pettman land service percussion fuze. 
(2) „ sea „ „ „ 
1 Percussion , the act of striking one body against another.”— Imperial Dictionary . 
“ Percussion, a striking, a shock.”— Webster's Dictionary. 
“ Percutio , to strike, to hit, &c., &c.”— Ainsworth's Latin and English Dictionary. 
“ Concussion , Latin, Concussio, from concutio to shake, from con and quatio, quasso, to shake or 
shatter.”— Imperial Dictionary. 
“ Concussion, a shaking.”— Webster’s Dictionary . 
“ Concutio, to shake, to jog, &c., &c.”— Ainsworth’s Latin and English Dictionary, 
The meaning of the two words broadly expressed and for the practical purpose now under 
consideration may then be taken as follows :■— Percussion, a striking; Concussion, a shaking. 
2 With the exception perhaps of the Boxer 2-inch time fuze for rifled ordnance, which however is 
generally spoken of as a time fuze, its employment as a percussion fuze being to a certain extent 
exceptional. But when used as a percussion fuze, this fuze does depend upon direct impact j 
it must be actually struck and driven into the shell. The term percussion would therefore be 
rightly applied to it, under the definition suggested. 
The percussion fuzes for rifled ordnance, C Patt., Dyer’s, Freeth’s, and the Pillar* depend also, it is 
true, upon the shell striking head foremost, or nearly so, but not upon the actual impact of the fuze. 
a January 16th, 1863, W. O. C. 822, par. 725. 
4 Ibid. 
5 It is a question whether the Boxer 2-inch time fuze for rifled ordnance wheii used to act on 
impact should not under this definition be called a concussion fuze, since it is put into action by the 
shock of discharge in the same sense as Freeburn’s fuze, while the effect of that action is restrained 
until the object is struck. 
0 See preceding note. 
