THE EOYAL AETILLEEY INSTITUTION. 
415 
gun, and as many as could be procured with the heavy artillery; but of this 
sort the stores could not supply sufficient.” 
It would then appear from this, that the new projectile met with more 
favour in India than at home. 
Complaints,— 
“ A concise account of the causes which have brought Lieut.-Colonel 
Shrapnel's spherical case shot into disrepute. 
“The misapplication of spherical case shot proceeds in the first instance 
from the want of a proper range being obtained for artillery practice at 
Woolwich to form the judgment of the young officers who now often fire 
that ammunition at ranges which are beyond their power, or too short; 
consequently, in the first case, the lead bullets leave the spherical case when 
it has not a sufficien f velocity to give these bullets the required force, and 
in the second case the shell bursts in the gun for want of a proper body of 
fuze composition to bear the shock of the piece. 
“ Precautions which will probably prevent any further misapplication of 
the spherical case shot. 
“ (1) The spherical case shot should be carried in a carriage distinct from 
the other ammunition of the brigades of field artillery as His Eoyal Highness 
the Commander-in-Chief formerly ordered. 
“ (2) Two intelligent artillerymen should be attached to each wagon load 
of spherical case shot to take charge of it. 
“ (3) If spherical case shot is required to be used in very long ranges, they 
should be attached to the Congreve rockets, because the velocity of their 
flight will then increase as the squares of the time^ that the composition of 
the rocket burns, whereas shot from cannon at low angles lose their 
velocities as the squares of the times of their continuance in the air. 
“Note. —It is certain that the enemy has often suffered from a proper 
application of Colonel Shrapnel's spherical case shot, as proved by the 
testimony of Lieut.-Colonel Eobe, and Lieut.-Colonel Duncan of the British 
artillery.” 
Author unknown, probably Colonel Williamson, formerly superintendent 
Eoyal Military Eepository. The MS. was found there. 
In July and August 1812, experiments at Sutton were made to ascertain 
the greatest range at which the spherical case shot could be fired with effect. 
It was then proved that at 2300 yards- the effect from field howitzers “would 
be very destructive, and such as no body of troops en masse could bear.'' 
Defence of Tarifa, December 24, 1812, by Colonel Skerritt. “On the 
investment the Trench light troops suffered considerably from our shells” (two 
light 6-prs.), Colonel Skerritt's dispatch; Colonel Jones, E.E., in his 
“Journal of Sieges,” has “ a great deal of effect was evidently produced on 
the besiegers by spherical case burst amongst them from the 6-prs. on the 
north-east tower ( a ), and also from the 24-prs. in the island, which fired 
over the town without molestation to the inhabitants, or defenders.” 
Salamanca, July 22,1812. The Duke knowing that Marmont was about 
to be joined by the cavalry and artillery of the army of the north was anxious 
to fight without delay. Marmont, extending his left, gave the Duke a 
