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Major-General Lefroy said that was probably correct, but the figures led 
to an erroneous inference by reckoning guns and howitzers as all one. He 
agreed however with much that had fallen from Colonel Miller as to the 
importance of carrying enough ammunition into the field, but he thought 
his calculation of an expenditure at the rate of twenty rounds per hour an 
extravagant one. (Hear, hear.) Twenty rounds, or at the rate of twenty 
rounds per hour might doubtless be reached for a spurt, especially in firing 
case shot, but they could not take it as an average for continuous firing. 
Major-General Sir Edward Warde. —It would never be realised. 
Major-General Lefroy said, at all events he was not afraid of that of which 
their fathers in artillery were not afraid. (Applause.) The Committee of 1819 
to which he had referred actually contemplated equipping 12-prs. of IBcwt. 
as horse artillery of reserve. There' is of course a line to be drawn some¬ 
where, but nothing in his opinion would turn on a cwt. or two, more or less. 
But in discussing this question, there was one thing to be borne in mind. 
"Were they talking of home defences? If so, they must remember that they 
had in every part of Great Britain excellent roads over which they could 
transport heavier materiel and move their guns in all directions more readily 
than in any former military experience, and much the same might be said of 
the roads all over Europe—the last few years had seen them greatly im¬ 
proved. This fact ought to have some bearing on the question as to the 
weight of their artillery equipment. (Hear, • hear.) As to the general 
question of large bore and small bore, light guns or heavier guns, he supposed 
it was a point upon which they must agree to differ; and to show how 
impossible it was to reconcile all minds upon such matters, he referred to 
the committee which met to discuss the very question in 1866, where two 
officers stood out against all the rest of their colleagues in favour of having 
the same gun for horse artillery and field batteries, but when enquiry was 
pushed a little farther it was found that one wanted to have a gun of 6 cwt. 
and the other preferred one of 8 cwt. for both services. (A laugh.) How¬ 
ever, he would not detain the meeting longer, but discharge the one remaining 
duty of returning thanks to Lieut. Sladen, in the name of the meeting, for 
the interesting information he had given them, remarking that the benefit of 
such papers was not confined to those who had the advantage of hearing 
them. Their chief value was in disseminating correct information through 
the service in print, thus helping to create a well-informed public opinion; 
and it was impossible not to contrast the advantages of officers at the 
present day in this respect with the state of things that prevailed at no 
remote period. Lieut. Sladen had delivered himself very clearly of his 
subject, and had elucidated the matter with a mass of figures the preparation 
of which must have involved considerable labour. (Applause.) He had 
pleasure in congratulating him oil his success, and expressing the gratifi¬ 
cation of the meeting. (Applause). 
Major-General E. M. Eardley-Wilmot, R.A., E.R.S., said it might be 
satisfactory to Lieut. Sladen to know that the Royal Laboratory had been 
called upon to make a shell such as he had described. 
The Chairman then closed the meeting. 
