DISCUSSION ON ARTILLERY. 
99 
shell falling into one of the huts at Omdurman where there were nine 
men sitting round a table and they were found dead still sitting there, 
killed by the concussion. 
The Chairman :—I am a firm believer in these shells being very 
valuable in any enclosed position, any place where there are walls, or 
falling inside works, and of course against dense masses of troops ; 
but I do not think they would have a very great effect, from what I 
have seen, against troops in the open. When I say troops in the 
open I mean in loose order. If you get them on to great bodies of 
troops together then of course they would have a very great effect. 
I do not know whether there is anything else to be said, gentlemen, 
and as it is getting rather late, I will just wind up by saying that I think 
we have had a very interesting discussion, and what I call a pleasant 
talk over our own business. To me certainly it has been very delight¬ 
ful. I do not know that we have very much to learn from the Egyptian 
Artillery in the matter of materiel; 1 do not honestly think we have; and 
I think it is very satisfactory to find that our own Battery has done as 
well as any other. For my own part, (and 1 shall have a great deal of 
responsibility in connection with the matter now,) I must say that the 
one thing I am keen about is always to hear and always to learn. I 
want to know of all the defects and all the faults there are, in order 
that we may as rapidly as it can possibly be done remedy them, not 
to shut our eyes or our ears but to learn all we can about what has 
been tried by other people, so that if it is better than our own we 
may improve our own by their example. Here I do not think we 
have much to learn from either the Egyptian Field Artillery or Horse 
Artillery according to Major Young; but the discussion has been at 
all events an extremely interesting one, and I am sure you will all join 
with me in thanking all those who have taken part in the discussion 
(loud applause). 
Major-General Maurice, c.b. :—I am sure, gentlemen, you will all 
join with me in offering our very grateful thanks to Sir Henry 
Brackenbury for having initiated the discussion and having come 
down here to preside over it. I hope we may see him again on some 
future occasion when we may have an opportunity for the same quiet 
business discussion, as he says (loud applause). 
[It may be of interest to members to know that the foregoing illustrations of the Khartoum 
expedition were reproduced from the photographs by the Meisenbach zinco photographic process 
in London, and set up and printed entirely by the soldier printers in the It. A. Institution printing 
house at Woolwich .—Secretary M.A.IJ] 
