220 
GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1880 . 
Such being the case, the proper method of proceeding surely is to 
use common shell with percussion fuze first, to prepare the way, as far 
as may be, for shrapnel, and then the latter with time fuze to deal with 
the defenders, particularly when firing and also to impede movements 
in rear.* * * § 
If now the line of fire be taken oblique instead of frontal, the conse¬ 
quence will be that the projectile becomes opposed by a greater 
thickness of parapet,fi while its angle of descent behind the latter is 
practically increased. Thus, a projectile coming from the front, from a 
spot 1850 yds. distant and passing through the crest with 5° 5' angle 
of descent, would have the latter in effect increased to 7° 10' if, the 
range remaining the same, the line of fire was taken 45° oblique ; and, 
if it passed through the parapet, it would have 9*9 ft. of thickness to 
penetrate instead of 7 ft. It must also be borne in mind that making 
the line obliquej: and keeping the range, as before, at 1850 yds., 
necessitates the gun being brought to a distance of 1308 yds. from the 
prolongation of the breastwork—that is, possibly nearer the enemy’s 
shooting line.§ Keeping in view the action and possible application, 
already mentioned, of common shell, there would not appear to be any 
advantage in taking an oblique line of fire when using it, but rather 
the contrary. With shrapnel, however, if circumstances do not neces¬ 
sitate too much increase of range, an oblique line will be advantageous, 
not only in increasing the drop of the bullets, but in keeping their 
spread more in the direction of the line of the parapet. 
The method of attack which thus appears best suited to the breast¬ 
work will evidently be equally applicable against the field redoubt 
(Fig. 7), the profile of which is similar. The searching out of the 
redoubt, from the better cover which it affords, will naturally be more 
difficult, at the same time that a thicker parapet and probably more 
carefully prepared defences will oppose greater resistance to pro¬ 
jectiles ; hence, there will be need for longer preparation by common 
shell in opening the way of shrapnel. In works of this type we also 
expect to find large use made of overhead cover, such as blindages : 
against this gun-fire, as was seen in the war of 1876-7, is of no avail, 
and, indeed, could not be expected to be : for, in the first place, the low 
trajectory of projectiles fired from guns forbids, in general, their reaching 
such cover, and, again, even if they reached it their mining power is 
too insignificant for real effect. 
Taking next in order shelter trenches for the infantry shooting line, 
and supposing them fired at under the same conditions and in the same 
manner as the breastwork, we have the descent of the lowest bullet 
which passes|| the covering earth, as shown in Figs. 3, and 4. It will 
* Trajectory, &c., of shell as shown in Fig. 8. 
f The defenders constituting hut a line, as it were, can hardly be said to be taken in greater depth. 
X The objection that taking a target obliquely makes it of smaller width for laying on and hitting 
does not, of course, apply to a length of parapet. 
§ If the line of fire was made 45° oblique, and frontal distance kept at 1850 yds., it would have 
the effect of increasing the range to 2616 yds. 
J| A few inches of earth, as before mentioned, are in general sufficient to stop a shrapnel bullet. 
