THE EOYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
411 
In analysing that objection, lie was therefore unable to know what materiel was 
meant. Did it mean gun carriages ? If so, they could be cut up by the body of 
either projectile; but there was no such real, substantial, or considerable advantage 
on the side of the segment shell as would warrant its retention as a separate 
projectile. (Applause). 
Captain Strange, R.A., said that in spite of the opprobrium cast upon inventors 
or anyone who introduced anything new, he would ask Captain Browne whether he 
did not think it was desirable to have a percussion fuze for the siege ordnance; and, 
again, whether they had a good reliable percussion fuze which would act on newly 
turned earth ? He knew they had the Pettman fuze, both for land and sea service, 
but that required the resistance of 8 ins. of oak to make it act, and as they were 
not likely to have wooden ships to fight against, nor wooden fortifications, he did 
not see much virtue in a test like that. (Applause). 
Captain Browne replied that beyond doubt the seige equipment was in a pecu¬ 
liar position. He would especially notice that there was no fuze adapted for 
graze with heavy projectiles, but he considered that the C percussion screw fuze, 
if introduced, would answer for large as well as small shells. Another peculiarity 
which he observed in the siege equipment was, that they used a segment shell with 
a time fuze or a Pettman general service percussion fuze. Now, the time fuze they 
could only set at ranges 185 yds. apart, which would be quite unsuitable for the 
action of segment shell. They had no fuze to act on graze with such a shell, and 
the only use he could see for it was to drive troops out of a building. The wood 
fuzes and the Pettman percussion fuzes would sometimes go off on impact against 
earth, but he did not know whether they would be effectual against newly turned 
earth; so that there might be a want in that respect at present, as well as in the 
matter of action on graze. Both wants he believed would be met by the screw per¬ 
cussion fuze, if introduced. 
Captain Strange added, that in firing at batteries armed with unserviceable 
guns, as they did at Shoeburyness, they found that the ordinary Boxer wood time 
fuze was driven in on striking a gun or platform, and acted as a percussion fuze, but 
would not explode on the newly turned earth of the exterior slope of the battery; 
and earthwork was mostly what we would have to fire at. 
Captain Majendie said that Mr. Pettman had anticipated the want spoken of 
by Captain Strange, by a plan for rendering his land service fuze more sensitive, 
and the suggestion had been officially put forward by Mr. Pettman. As to the 
proof of the Pettman land service fuze, he might say that they did not now fire them 
at oak butts, but at sand bags, and that the result was quite satisfactory. It must 
be admitted, however, that they would not burst on graze, and in that respect they 
were capable of improvement. But if a very sensitive percussion fuze to burst on 
graze were required with our heavy guns, the C cap percussion fuze, with its outer 
case screwed to fit the general service fuze hole, would no doubt answer all our 
requirements. 
Major Geary, B.A., said : One sentiment of the lecturer’s he cordially re-echoed 
—viz. that we should so rely upon our own ingenuity as not hurriedly to adopt 
every novelty exhibited by foreign powers. It was to be regretted that this feeling 
of confidence was not more general. Those who had read the newspaper corres¬ 
pondents’ accounts of the battle of Sedan, and notably that of Dr. Bussell, would 
remember how graphically the effect of the Prussian shells had been described— 
blowing men to atoms, &c., &c. Prom thence the deduction had been made 
that this country should introduce a similar projectile. It had, however, transpired 
since, that the Prussians had had recourse to this shell with a percussion fuze simply 
from their want of segment shell or of shrapnel shell with time fuzes—a deficiency 
they are now strenuously endeavouring to make good. With the tables before 
them of the practice carried on at Dartmoor, together with the estimate made 
by Captain Browne as to the number of men which a battery might be expected to 
