EFFECT OF SHELL ON MUD WALLS. 
629 
E 
Extract from Report of Experimental Practice carried on by Major Crawford, 
14/9 PM., at the Walls of Old Kandahar, on the 5th April, 1881, under 
order of Prig.-General Ee-Vitre, Comdg. P.A., 8. Afghanistan. 
Wall of Old Kandahar of homogeneous clay, the face of the wall 
being about 30 ft. high, but varying with the nature of the ground, 
which was very irregular. In the interior of the work the height was 
20 ft. The thickness at base was 24 ft., reducing to 16 ft., and then 
tapering to 10ft. at the top. 
Common shell. 
Common shell 
fuzed. 
Filled 
with 
sand. 
Loaded 
and 
metal 
plugged. 
Time 9 / ' 
bored 
long. 
Per¬ 
cussion. 
Remarks. 
8 
— 
— 
— 
Penetration varied from 3 to 5 ft., moan 3 ft. 8 ins., 
none were dug out, one was found broken. 
Six reported as having exploded, but the other two 
were not dug out or examined. 
— 
8 
■ ■— 
— 
— 
— 
8 
— 
One exploded prematurely, others on impact. 
— 
— 
— 
8 
All exploded, but plugged shell appeared to burst 
as soon. 
8 
8 
8 
8 
Breaching Experiment. 
— 
— 
— 
4 
— 
44 
— 
— 
Single shell. 
— 
28 
— 
— 
Salvos of four shell. 
— 
8 
— 
— 
i 
80 
— 
4 
A horizontal line 24 ft. long was cut a little below half the height of 
the wall. 30 single shell were expended on this, the guns being laid 
so as to allow the projectile to strike 1 ft. 8 ins. apart. Vertical lines 
2 ft. high were then cut upwards from the extremities, and the tops 
joined by a second horizontal line, and the fire of the battery was kept 
on that rectangle and above it in salvos of four guns. At the 76th 
round daylight showed about 7 ft. from the top. Single rounds were 
then fired. At the 81st round the top of the parapet fell in, and at 
the 84th the breach was practicable. Had the guns in the first 
instance been aimed lower it would have been better* The time occu^ 
pied in forming this breach was 1J hours. 
Two loaded plugged shell, not broken, but with damaged heads; 
were found at the foot of the breach. 
(Signed) G. A. CRAWFORD; 
Comdg. 14/9 R.Ai 
78 
