151 
Q.F.“FIELD^ EQUIPMENTS ON THE CONTINENT. 
The following* table gives a few particulars as to these guns. 
Krupp. 
Saint 
Maxim-Nor- 
Heavy. 
Light. 
diamond. 
denfelt. 
Sotomayor. 
Weight of gun, cwt. 
7-84 
6.1 
8* * * § 4 
6*1 
6-9 
Weight of gun and carriage, cwt. 
19-7 
16 
20 
18-6 
16 
Weight of projectile, lbs .. 
14-2 
12.9 
14-2 
13-2 
16 
Number of bullets in Shrapnel... 
250 
200 
300 
HOf 
231 
Number of bullets to the lb. 
41 
41 
p# 
? 
35 
Weight behind team, cwt. 
34-8 
31*5 
35*2 
32*2 
32*2 
Muzzle V elocity, f. s. 
1640 
1640 
1968 
1574 
1672 
No decision appears to have "been come to, and the Committee were 
awaiting the delivery of the new Sotomayor 2*95 inch Q.F. field gun; 
an order for this gun has been given to the Trubia arsenal and de¬ 
livery promised in 1897. 
It is not improbable that the expenses of the late American war 
have put a stop to the re-armament by Spain of her field artillery. 
The bulk of the Italian Field Artillery is at present armed with a 
3’42 inch gun firing a 15’3 lb. shell. The equipment is considered 
generally to be too heavy. There are also a number of batteries armed 
with a 2*9 inch gun, firing a 9’4 lb. shell. This gun is considered 
not to be powerful enough and it is believed to be the intention of the 
Government in case of re-arming the field artillery, to deal first with 
this gun. 
In 1897, the Italian Government arranged for trials of Q.F. field 
guns. Equipments were supplied by Krupp, Armstrong and Maxim- 
Nordenfelt and by the arsenals of Naples, Turin and Helvetica. The 
trials were concluded at the Nettuno ranges by February, 1898. The 
results were, however, not conclusive and the guns did not fulfil the 
conditions laid down ; recoil and jump (or to speak strictly, “ lift ” of 
the carriage) were not overcome. Further trials appeared to be 
necessary. 
In a report presented to the Italian Parliament, it was stated that it 
was necessary to replace the 2*9 inch, (9‘4 pr.) guns but that the 
3*42 inch (15*3 pr.) guns could, for the present at any rate, be retained, 
provided certain modifications were made to them. 
In the above mentioned trials, the gun which was thought to give 
most satisfaction was a 3*07 inch gun made at Turin, and the most satis¬ 
factory carriage was one used with a 3*11 inch gun, designed by 
Colonel Ducros. This carriage was stated to be remarkable for its firing 
brake ; it was said to combine the principle § of the Engelhardt axle 
and an axle spade devised by an Italian officer. 
Meanwhile trials with converted 3*42 inch equipments had been 
* If this shell has forty-five per cent, of its weight in bullets (which is a good percentage) its 
bullets must he about forty-seven to the pound. 
f This shell breaks into 230 pieces (including the bullets) ; it|is probably ^like the French shell 
in which the bullets are packed in irongsegments. 
X Principally from Revue Militare Suisse , various numbers, 1898. 
§ An arrangement of india-rubber pads. 
