THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
137 
This in effect has been acknowledged by the officers of the Committee 
at Shoeburyness, bnt they assert that the difference is very small, and 
that it is frequently reversed, and in general as the distance increases 
the English gun again takes the advantage. They say, not without 
reason, that in war the object is not to make a hole in a target, but 
that a projectile like theirs, with a flatter trajectory and a higher 
velocity than the Prussian, will be more destructive. 
The trials at Shoeburyness were completely favourable to the English 
shell. It shows that it has an accuracy that no projectile has yet ob¬ 
tained, and it is considered that the effect of shrapnel shells with time 
fuzes constitutes an argument in favour of muzzle-loaders without which 
the time fuze must be abandoned. 
The English gun is very easily loaded. Whatever may be the diffi¬ 
culties in the service of the gun, whatever be the inconveniences to 
which it is exposed, as the projectiles are so well made these defects 
do not approach the difficulties of the service of the Prussian and 
Belgian guns, and the care they demand. 
Before practice with the Belgian gun, the captain of the battery 
chooses 12 shot and 12 cartridges; he weighs and measures each shot 
and cartridge, and marks the weight on each shot, numbering them 
from 1 to 12; he regulates his practice accordingly. The officers are 
supplied with regulated measures to assure themselves of the exact 
position of the shot in the bore. Experience shows that a centimetre 
too far back or too far forward will make a difference of 40 or 50 
in the range. “ Absurd minutiae,” some one may say, “ and which could 
not be undertaken in war.” So also think the English. They have taken 
equal care with their shells and cartridges ; but there is a great differ¬ 
ence between the English and the Belgian precision. The first stops in 
the arsenal, where it is a valuable quality; the second extends itself to 
the operation of loading—that is, to the field of battle—where it is a 
defect. Accuracy of fire is a precious gift which no arm possesses of 
itself; it is only acquired by ingenious and persevering care. 
The report concludes with suggestions as to the future gun for 
France. 
Two systems are before us—the English, which is derived from 
ours, and the Belgian—but neither could be introduced into France 
without modifications. None of our foundries are in a position to com¬ 
mence, with absolute certainty of success, the manufacture of materiel in 
steel. M. Krupp, in spite of the perfection of his manufacture, would 
have been unable to conquer the prejudices of the Prussian artillery 
without the patronage of the King of Prussia. Even now the authority 
of his Boyal associate does not free him from attack. The Essen manu¬ 
factory is subject, from time to time^ to distrust. A 9-inch 8-ton gun 
burst this year at the camp of St. Maurice ; more recently still, an 8-inch 
12-ton gun burst at Cronstadt. These have shown that there never 
can be absolute confidence in steel, and that it will never support heavy 
charges. 
The manufacture of the English gun gives the most complete 
security, but the price is not suitable to the actual resources of France* 
Not only each 9-pr. gun costs 3200 francs, but to produce them it would 
be necessary to put up a complicated machinery, which a fresh change 
J . 18 
