THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
283 
of the 9-pr. breech-loading gun and carriage, viz. 31*75 cwt. behind team, 
is not the maximum weight for horse artillery when acting with cavalry ; 
in fact it is thought by some that the weight should be reduced to 
30 cwt., i.e., about the weight of the light 6-pr. smooth-bore, the former 
equipment of the horse artillery. This would more nearly correspond 
in weight with the horse artillery equipment of continental powers. 
The Belgian horse artillery gun (canon de 4) weighs about 29 \ cwt. 
behind team. The gun throws a 9*4 lb. shell, with a charge of 1*16 lbs. 
of powder with a muzzle velocity* of 1221 f.s.; the gun itself being 
under 6 cwt. This gun is almost identical with the Prussian horse 
artillery gun (canon de 4). Colonel Maxwell, R.A., in his “ Report on 
Experiments carried on in Belgium with Phosphoric Bronze as applied 
to Field Artillery,” compares this gun with the 9-pr. muzzle-loader 
(page 19) thus :— 
“ Both these guns (i.e., the canon de 4 and the canon de 6) appear to be inferior 
to the British 9-pr. muzzle-loading bronze gun. 
“ (l) In flatness of trajectory. 
“ (2) In the necessary complication of breech-loaders. 
“ (3) In accuracy of practice and efficiency of two projectiles (shrapnel and case 
shot). 
ee (4) In a detonating fuze. 
“ (5) In the necessity of lead-coated projectiles. 
“ (6) Lesser height of wheels. 
“The canon de 4 (i.e., the Belgian horse artillery gun of less than 6 cwt.) is on 
the other hand, superior to the 9-pr. muzzle-loading bronze gun. 
“(1) In the larger provision of ammunition especially in the limber (viz., 50 
against 34 in limber, 108 against 90 in wagon.) 
“ (2) In the smaller load for the gun team (nearly 6 cwt.) * 
“ (3) In a common shell which bursts into a large number of pieces. 
“ The rapidity of fire is the same in both cases.” 
With regard to the inferiority stated by Colonel Maxwell, if we intro¬ 
duced a muzzle-loading gun of 6 cwt. to fire a 9 lb. projectile with a charge 
of about 1 lb. 6 ozs., the only objection of any moment would be the 
flatness of trajectory due to about 109 f.s. more muzzle velocity (and 
remember the Belgian gun is only 5*78 cwt. and the 9-pr. muzzle- 
loader 8 cwt.) ; and with regard to the superiority , they seem to be 
precisely the points which of all others are necessary for an efficient 
horse artillery gun, viz., greater number of rounds in limber, much 
greater mobility and a common shell bursting into a large number of 
pieces. 
Surely with the mechanical knowledge we possess in this country we 
should at least be able to build a gun to rival the Belgians, i.e., a 
muzzle-loading steel, or steel and wrought-iron gun, weighing about 
6 cwt. (according to the recommendation of the Committee of Superior 
Officers of Royal Artillery in 1866), of 3 ins. in calibre to throw a 91b. 
* See “ L’ Artillerie de Campagne,” by Captain Nicaise, of the Belgian War Office. 
