146 
Q.F. FIELD EQUIPMENTS ON THE CONTINENT. 
simultaneous laying and loading. Ordinarily, it is said that the gun 
can fire five rounds a minute, but that with special arrangements for 
the supply of ammunition twenty rounds a minute can be fired. High 
explosive shell and shrapnel are used; the latter contains 250 balls. 
It is said that in rapid fire a lateral motion (presumably by the travers¬ 
ing gear) is given to the gun so as to make it distribute its fire and 
ff faucher le terrain.” The gun is reported to appear to be very low 
on its wheels, the carriage is very long, and the space between gun 
and limber wheels is greater than formerly (of course a long trail 
and low wheels diminish the tendency of the carriage to lift on firing; 
the Germans have made their wheels eight inches less than in the old 
equipment—see ante). The new materiel appeared to be very mobile. 
At the Gambrai manoeuvres of the 1st Army Corps, it is said that the 
wagons were placed close up to the guns when in action so that there 
was no running backwards and forwards of men for ammunition. 
It is said that the expense of rearming the field and horse artillery 
is to be met by dismantling part of the old enceinte of Paris. This 
dismantling does not appear to have been yet done. 
AUSTRIA, 
The trials of Q.F. field guns in this country are stated to have 
been started in 1894 when two guns, one of bronze-steel and the other 
of steel, were tried. Their calibres were 3*14 and 3*54inches respect¬ 
ively ; weights of shell 10 lbs. and 18J lbs.; they used metal cart¬ 
ridge oases and breech mechanisms of the falling block type. The 
results of these trials are said to have been satisfactory and high rates 
of fire attained. It would seem, however, that these equipments 
could not have been all that could be wished as further trials have 
since been undertaken and attempts have also been made to improve 
the existing guns (model 1875) and carriages. These attempts have 
led to a conversion of the present equipment which, of course, does 
not preclude a complete rearmament, if found necessary eventually, 
but it gives time for further trials to be carried out and the experience 
of other countries may be made use of. 
