OKEHAMPTON EXPERIMENTS. 
533 
(Class I.) The Comparative Value oe various Projectiles. 
9. The projectiles used by the Committee with both 9-pr. and 16-pr. 
guns were as follows :— 
Common shell, with percussion fuze. 
Abel's water shell, with percussion fuze. 
Boxer-shrapnel shell, with .percussion fuze. 
Boxer-shrapnel shell, with time fuze. 
10. In comparing one projectile with another, there are always contin¬ 
gencies to be considered which might invalidate any of the results arrived at. 
In such comparisons, also, it is impossible to eliminate what may be called 
“ eccentricity ” in the effects of various projectiles. Under what may seem 
as nearly as possible the same circumstances, the same projectiles will produce 
utterly different results. And the slightest difference in the hardness of the 
ground, the presence of a buried stone, or even causes more trifling than 
these, will often make a round ineffective which has otherwise all the elements 
of efficiency. 
11. In narrating the experiments under this class, those will first be 
treated in which all four projectiles were employed together ; and in addition 
to the number of hits made by each nature, the number of effective shells 
which produced them will be stated. An effective shell is one which bursts 
in a target, or within a reasonable distance in front of it—subject, however, 
greatly to the condition of the ground. A shell bursting beyond a target, 
or blind, or premature, is non-effective, and in making a comparison should 
be excluded from the calculation. 
12. The positions for the dummies representing infantry were selected so 
as to afford them as much advantage as possible from the nature of the ground; 
the Committee being anxious to avoid giving any favour to the artillery fire, 
which might invalidate the conclusions arrived at, beyond that arising from 
the fixed and somewhat conspicuous character of the object fired at. 
With this view, the President applied that an infantry officer of experience 
should be detailed to watch the experiments, and to point out anything which 
might seem disadvantageous to that arm in the placing of the targets. 
The officer who was subsequently detailed from Plymouth for this duty, 
expressed his complete satisfaction with the arrangement of the targets made 
by the Committee. 
The softness of the ground was generally unfavourable to the effect of 
artillery fire with percussion fuzes. 
13. On the 9th August, series C of the experiments detailed in the 
programme was carried out, the target being No. 10. The firing was 
directed against the attacking line, which consisted of 100 wooden dummies, 
in rank entire, one pace between each; but any hits which were made in the 
supporting line or main body were also noted. It may be here stated that, 
except at short ranges, little injury was ever inflicted on the supports by 
ricochets or dispersion of shells aimed at the attacking line. On the 9th 
August, the chance of injuring the supports was further diminished by the 
guns being placed on a lower level than the brow over which the attacking 
line was advancing, which therefore appeared from the battery to be on the 
