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its superiority in this respect—that with less strain on carriage and less 
recoil,, it actually throws a shell with greater velocity from about 724 yds. 
and upwards, and has a flatter trajectory beyond 1600 yds. range. The 
truth of this is manifest from the actual experiment; for at about 3000 yds. 
the 3*3-in. shell caught up the 3’6-in. in actual range, with -^th of a 
second less time of flight; and since it started with a lower velocity, it 
is evident that it must have been travelling faster, at least for the last 
frds of the range— i.e., the last 2000 yds.—or it would never have 
caught it up. One thing the experiment does show—that 3 lbs. of 
E.L.G. powder are not so effectively consumed in a 3'3-in. as in a 3'6-in. 
bore of the same length; but which is of the most importance—burning 
the powder, or destroying the enemy ? Besides, it has not been shown 
that L.Gr. powder, of which we have a large store, would not have 
given a better result as regards muzzle velocity in comparison with the 
3'6-in., than the R.L.G. has done. A charge of 3 lbs. of L.Gr. powder 
has been fired in the 3'6-in. gun, and has given a muzzle velocity of only 
1283 f.s. Service L.Gr. powder has a smaller grain than service R.L.GL, 
and therefore might burn quicker—although it is unsafe to predict, with 
our present knowledge, what powder will do. 
Again, the experiment has shown that a 16-lb. shell, in spite of its 
increased length, can be fired out of the 3'3-in. gun with as much 
accuracy as regards range and deflection as from the 3'6-in. gun; and 
since the “ useful capacity of the shrapnel shell is not materially affected 
by the decrease of diameter,”* there can hardly be any practical objec¬ 
tion on that account. 
For firing reduced charges, such as are used in high-angle practice, 
the 3'3-in. gun would have the advantage, as the cartridge would be 
longer ; and it would perhaps permit the vent being placed 3 ins. from 
the rear end of the bore, and still allow of the residue of the smallest 
cartridge being completely burnt up. This position of the vent would 
also help to give a greater muzzle velocity, as in all probability more of 
the powder would be burnt up. 
Indeed, all the so-called theoretical hypotheses have been completely 
established by the experiment, and a way has been indicated of obtaining 
the greatest mechanical effect from a given weight of gun. The great 
test of a gun-is hard hitting at ranges varying from 1000 to 3000 yds.; 
not the actual range for a fixed angle of elevation. What does it matter 
whether a gun is fired at 2° 5' or 2° 15', provided the object is struck ? 
The real questions at issue are :—(1) Which is the longest ranging 
gun ? (2) Which is the hardest hitting gun ? The conclusion from the 
experiment is that the 3'3-in. is the longest ranging gun, and also the 
hardest hitting at all ranges above 724 yds. The advantage, then, of 
constructing a gun with 3'3ins. calibre would be, that with a lighter 
gun and carriage (the recoil being less violent), a longer ranging and 
a more powerful gun at all ordinary ranges of artillery fire could be 
made. • 
Again, advantage might be taken of the smaller bore to reduce the 
* Eeport of Committee on High-Angle and Vertical Fire, p. 3. 
