80 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
intention of continuing the discussion, said that from the position he occupied, 
and the duty he had been requested to undertake, it now became his agreeable task 
to convey to their friend Captain Sladen their hearty thanks for his interesting 
discourse; and he thought that he might express on behalf of all present the hearty 
gratification they had derived from his able treatment of his subject, and the clear 
manner in which he presented all its details. The facts with which he had dealt 
were full of information and interest to many of them, and he could only repeat what 
he said twelve months ago, when attending Captain Sladen’s previous lecture, that 
it gave him great pleasure—having watched him from the day he joined the corps 
—to see him pursuing a course which must redound to the honour and credit not 
only of himself, but of that great and distinguished corps to which they all felt a 
pride to belong. (Applause.) 
Lieut. Kensington, R.A., returning to the subject of the lecture, said that 
although the Committee on the 16-pr. field gun had reported in favour of the 3-6-in. 
bore, all who had heard the arguments of Captain Sladen were probably convinced 
that the 3'3-in. would be better. At all events, no one had disputed his.con¬ 
clusions, and therefore he might take them for granted. Therefore, as it was self- 
evident that the artillery should have the very best tools to work with, he thought 
it would be a pity to draw into the service a gun which was not the very best, and 
hoped that they would all devote their energies to securing the gun which they 
believed to be better. 
Major-General Sir E. C. Warde. —But are we all agreed on the subject? 
Lieut. Kensington. —There is no dissenting voice, and I take it for granted 
that we are. 
Major-General Sir E. C. Warde. —But we are only a small proportion of the 
whole corps. 
Lieut. Kensington. —We may, I think, be fairly regarded as representative of 
the regiment, and we are certainly a large proportion of those officers who interest 
themselves in-such questions. 
Major-General Sir E. C. Warde. —I hope the time will come when larger 
numbers will attend and take an interest in these questions. The point occurred 
to me during the lecture, that the 16-pr. gun, being a gun for special purposes, a 
shell of 3'6ins. would probably be, from its larger capacity, more effectual than 
that of 3'3 ins. 
Captain Sladen. —The two shells are on the table; there is practically no 
difference in their efficiency. 
Major-General Sir E. C. Warde. —If that is so, and we can get a suitable gun 
of the same power as the larger one, there is no doubt that we shall obtain thereby 
a practical advantage; for we shall have a lighter weight to carry, and therefore 
greater mobility—w T hich is one of the main points. But supposing we all concur 
in the belief that the smaller bore would be preferable, I should think it would be 
better that any suggestion to that effect should come, not from this meeting, but 
from the Committee of the Institution. 
Colonel Milward, C.B., R.A., Superintendent Royal Laboratories, said it was 
a dangerous thing in these times, when there were so many, committees of investi¬ 
gation, to express any opinion as to the merits of rival schemes, and he should 
abstain from advancing any views of his own upon the subject'under discussion. 
But he wished to say simply that the two guns—the 3'6-in. and 3'3-in. guns— 
were handed over to a committee of which the President was Major-General Eardley- 
Wilmot—an officer concerning whose judgment and integrity they all held a very 
high opinion—and that committee reported that the advantage was in favour of the 
3'6-in. gun. Now Captain Sladen had made it appear that the advantage was in 
favour of the 3'3-in., and what they wanted was some one on the other side to 
take up the cause of the larger bore. 
Major-General Sir E. C. Warde .—Audi alteram partem , you mean. 
