DISCUSSION ON ARTILLERY. 
89 
“ We have given the new 75 ram. 12|-pr. Maxim-Nordenfeldt Moun- 
“ tain gun a very fair trial, I think, having had two batteries arm- 
“ ed with it during the last operations, and having fired, I should say 
“ about eighty or ninety rounds per gun at practice and on service. Also 
“ having marched all the way from Kerma along the river to the Atbara 
“and back to Berber. We never had any trouble and we are pleased 
“with the gun. The ordinary shell is 12J lbs. and it also has an 18lb. 
“ double shell. The gun makes good practice with shrapnel at 8,600 
“ yards, and we find the old double shell of 20 lbs. with clinometer at 
“extreme elevation, making accurate practice at over 3,000 yards. 
“ Muzzle velocity seems low, but it keeps up at long ranges. The 
“country out here as you know is flat, we never found any difficulty in 
“ carrying the guns on pack saddles, although we draw them as well. 
“ And I am sure there would be no difficulty in India on that account. 
“ They have an excellent saddle interchangeable for all loads, a great 
“ improvement on any I have yet seen, and the whole load including 
“ saddlery runs to about 300 lbs. or under. We altered girths from rope 
“to web. I have never come across a gun of its size, which I think 
“ could have done what the new one does, and I should recommend you 
“ to keep your eye on it. Two more batteries are being armed with it 
“ here, and I hope about September you may hear some more about 
“ it." 
The Chairman :—I have got here a paper that gives some details 
about this gun. I find that Messrs. Maxim-Nordenfeldt, in speaking 
of these guns, say that the calibre of the gun is 2*95 inches ; the 
weight of projectile 12 \ lb,; the muzzle velocity 920 feet-seconds, 
and the weight of gun and carriage complete 880 lbs. divided into four 
loads, and they say that excellent shrapnel fire was made in Egypt up 
to 3,800 yards. They also say that the shrapnel 12J lb. is fuzed with 
a special fuze of German make; that the ring shell 12^ lb. is fuzed 
with a special point fuze ; the double shell 20 lbs. which is now under 
conversion to 18 lb. with a larger burster, has a delay-action fuze. 
Those seem to me to be the details of it. Now is there anyone who 
wants any further information about it ? 
Lieut.-Colonel Jeffreys :— Does it give the rate of fire at all, Sir ? 
The Chairman :—Can anyone tell us about the rate of fire ? Captain 
Nicholson you were beside these batteries in Egypt I think. 
Captain Nicholson :—Yes Sir. 
The Chairman :—Can you tell us anything about what sort of rate 
of fire they got ? 
Captain Nicholson :—Well, I was rather busy, Sir, but I think I can 
pretty safely say that they did not fire any faster than we did. Of 
course their shell and cartridge is all in one, it is a quicker loader. 
The Chairman Yes, fixed ammunition. 
Captain Nicholson :■—But my great point about this gun—perhaps 
I should have no view at all, but I have a view—is that owing to its 
recoiling so much it makes it uncommonly hard work for anyone ; and 
when you have all your gunners that you have available on the 
