AMMUNITION OP ARTILLERY IN THE FIELD. 
313 
cussion fuzes with shrapnel if the ground is favourable, with common 
shell if it is not so, will keep the commander informed of the 
changes necessary. 
Judging is, of course, more difficult on service than at practice in 
the case of all natures of projectiles. This is a fact which should 
make us most careful in hastily adopting conclusions on the effect 
of projectiles formed under the adverse conditions of actual warfare; 
because they can but very seldom be supplemented by such closer 
inspection of the ground and objects as would, by giving the results 
obtained, either confirm or disprove the theories formed from obser¬ 
vations which may very possibly be imperfect. 
In what respect then can it be said that common shell is a more 
“ rough and ready projectile ” than shrapnel shell ? Their manipulation 
is precisely the same; at all ranges percussion fuzes may be used with 
either ; and the practice need not be so good with the latter as with the 
former. 
It may be as well, in attempting to arrive at the proportions of 
ammunition carried, to consider the different duties required of field 
artillery, and the projectiles best adapted for them. They are arranged 
in the following table, as far as possible in the order of the frequency 
of their occurrence. 
Artillery may be required to act— 
1. Against troops in the open, in small bodies or dispersed order— 
taking advantage only of such cover as is afforded by the accidents of 
the ground. 
2. Against troops in larger bodies, or more compact order, under 
the same conditions. 
3. Against artillery in the open, at considerable ranges. 
4. Against artillery in gun pits, or behind natural cover. 
5. Against heavy masses of troops, generally at long, but 
occasionally at short ranges. 
6. Against artillery in the open, at short ranges. 
7. Against artillery under cover, at short ranges. 
8. Against troops or guns under cover of buildings, &c. 
9. Against troops posted in woods. 
10. Against troops in shelter trenches. 
11. Against troops in field works. 
12. For the destruction of obstacles such as pallissades, abattis, &c. 
13. For incendiary purposes. 
The projectiles which all published accounts of experiments concur 
in recommending for these requirements, are as follows 
