PRECIS 
AND 
TRANSLATION. 
“BEVUE MILITAIBE DE L’ETBABGEB.” 
THE NEW FIRING MANUAL OF THE GERMAN 
FIELD ARTILLERY. 
PRECIS BY 
LIEUT.-COLONEL J. H. G. BROWNE, late R.A. 
The adoption in June, 1892, of a new book of Regulations for the manoeuvres of 
German Field Artillery led to the expectation of the speedy appearance of a new 
firing manual. The SchiessvorscJirift fur die feld Artillerie dates back to May, 
1890. Since then a number of changes have taken place in the materiel of Ger¬ 
man Field Artillery. The common shell with its percussion fuze has disappeared ; 
a new shrapnel has been adopted, and the batteries have been provided with a 
special arrangement for indirect fire, the UiclitjUiche. A revision of the Schiess- 
vorschrift had therefore become a necessity. 
A new firing manual was issued on 22nd May, 1893, and placed provisionally in 
the hands of the troops, who were to conform to its directions during 1898 and 
1894. It is to be reported on to the Minister of War before the 1st December, 
1894, so that the revised text will not appear for sometime and its present form 
may be materially altered. It is however interesting as indicating the present 
tendencies of the German Artillery, and the direction in which they are seeking 
to improve their firing regulations. 
The first part, namely that which relates to the principles and methods of regu¬ 
lating fire, is the only one which is materially altered. As has been just said, the 
common shell has been suppressed. This projectile, which had a percussion fuze 
only, was principally used for finding the range and elevation; strictly speaking 
it was not a fighting projectile. Its only advantage was that the smoke emitted 
when bursting rendered the point of impact easily visible. Its abolition indicates 
that the Germans are now in possession of a field shrapnel, whose bursting point 
can be easily observed, even when firing with percussion fuzes. 
This projectile which is called the “ Shrapnel pattern 1891,” gives on bursting 
the same number of bullets and splinters as the shrapnel of 1882 (about 300); it 
is provided with a double-action fuze; its cone of dispersion is somewhat nar¬ 
rower than that of the old shrapnel, viz. : from 21° to 22° instead of 25°. It 
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5, VOL. XXI. 
