394 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Major Shrapnel having invented a very ingenious instrument for the purpose of 
detecting the errors in the casting of his shells, the Committee recommend that 
several of each may be immediately made to expedite that material part of the 
service.', 
He has also improved his fuzes in many essential respects, and the Committee 
recommend that his process may be adopted without deviation; for which purpose 
Major Shrapnel will give every communication to the officers of the Eoyal Laboratory, 
and will likewise deliver to them the instruments above alluded to. 
The Committee in forwarding this report to the Honourable Board, feel themselves 
also called upon to testify their highest approbation of the uncommon exertions 
used by Major Shrapnel to discover and remedy any defects either in the con¬ 
struction or mode of fixing his shells, so as to render the invention of which the 
merit entirely rests with himself of an unquestionable utility to His Majesty’s 
Service. 
I have &c. 
(Signed) VAUGHAN LLOYD. 
E. H. Crew, Esq. 
They have paid Shrapnel the compliment of putting him on the Committee. 
Prospects evidently improving. 
On the 5tli May, 1805, Shrapnel had the honor of exhibiting his new 
shells in the presence of the King. 
We know that “ His Majesty and a great number of experienced General 
Officers ” were present. “ In twenty minutes upwards of four thousand shot 
and splinters/* were put into targets in column, to represent mounted men. 
“No foreigners present/* 
We can imagine the sight; gratifying doubtless to Shrapnel. What im¬ 
pression was made on the minds of the General Officers no record now 
extant informs us. 
About this time Shrapnel published in the “ Gunners Guide, or a Pocket 
Companion for Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates in the Artillefy and 
Marines ** (We did duty in bomb vessels in those days), “ Explanation df 
the advantages and effects which may be derived from firing case shot in the 
inode proposed by Major Shrapnel. 1803. 
(1) The whole charge is carried home to the spot intended; at present 
the greatest part of the charge disperses soon after it leaves the muzzle of 
the gun. 
(2) Grape or case may be fired with an effect equally close and collected 
to any distance within the range of the piece, and the artillery need not 
advance within musket shot of the enemy, to make use of this kind of fire 
with its full effect, and are not so subject to have their guns charged either 
by cavalry, or infantry. 
(3) It requires less precision and exactness to point a piece of ordnance 
charged in the manner proposed, than with a round shot, because case shot 
is a wide and dispersed fire, and the difficulty in elevation is therefore less. 
(4) The comparative destruction with that of a round shot, will be gene¬ 
rally as the number of shot within the shell to 1; that is, a 3-pr. 20 to 1 
