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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
to exceed 72 iris., and weight not to exceed 8 cwt., weight of projectile to he 12 lbs. 
or thereabouts.” 
All the above guns to be of one uniform calibre. 
“Heavy Field Batteries, or Field Batteries of Reserve.—The Committee unani¬ 
mously agreed that it is necessary to have in the field some batteries of more powerful 
guns than the rifled 9 or 12-prs., not because they would command a greater range, 
or possess superior accuracy to those pieces, but on account of their throwing larger 
common shells, more formidable shrapnel (or segment) shells, and more destructive 
case shot. Such guns would be certainly more effective for the attack or defence 
of entrenched positions, and frequently for covering important movements, or for 
co-operating with reserves at the critical moment of a general action.” 
They also reported “ that the balance of advantages is in favour of 
muzzle-loading field guns, and that they should be manufactured here¬ 
after.” 
I will next quote an extract from a letter written to me on the subject 
by Major W. Stirling, R.A., with regard to mobility :— 
“ I expect officers differ very largely on the point of weights for field artillery, 
but the way I look at it is this—six horses are as many as can work together in a 
team over broken ground without great loss of power, and therefore in calculating- 
weights I think they should be what six horses can manage. 
“In the ‘Handbook of Field Service’ I see 5 cwt. per horse is the maximum 
weight allowed for a team, and consequently this would fix the weight for the team 
of six at 30 cwt. This however I would hardly call the maximum weight for this 
reason, that I see the present horse artillery gun moving with cavalry (i.e., the 9-pr. 
Armstrong breech-loader), and over rough ground, tolerably easily , with six horses; 
and its weight is according to the Report of the Indian Committee in the autumn 
of 1869—36 cwt. 2 qrs. 3 lbs. or over 6 cwt. per horse. 
“ In the same way our field battery gun weighs behind the team 41 cwt. 0 qrs. 
14 lbs., or nearly 7 cwt. per horse of team of six ; and I think it is a fair specimen 
of the maximum weight for our field batteries. 
“I think 36 cwt. quite the maximum for horse artillery; I do not mean that 
necessarily all the horse artillery should be armed with this gun; but all that part 
which has to work with cavalry should not exceed, and if possible should be 3 or 
4 cwt. under 36 cwt. 
“ The horse artillery in the reserve might have a gun the same weight as that of 
field batteries with advantage, on the same principle, and with the same object, 
that we had 9-pr. troops of horse artillery at the close of the Crimean war. 
“Eight horses are allowed to the 12-pr. on service, and properly so; when the 
draught is straight, and the ground fairly even, the extra pair may be worked with 
advantage ; and where circumstances do not favour the four pair being worked, 
they may relieve the weaker horses of the team here and there, and so enable you 
to carry on farther. I think however that our horses could not manage a heavier 
load , nor do I think our gunners could handle a heavier gun than this 12-pr. 
Armstrong in the field; consequently I say 41 cwt. is the maximum for field bat¬ 
teries. There is one special point I think should be brought to the front just now 
in discussing these points, and it is the great difference in the weight of gun and 
wagon, both in the horse artillery and field batteries. In both of these I think the 
wagons are too heavy . 
Guns. Wagons, 
cwt. qr. lb. cwt. qr. lb. 
9-pr. B.L., R.H.A.. 36 2 3 48 0 16 
12-pr. B.L., Field Batteries . 41 0 4 54 3 15 
