152 
Q.F. FIELD EQUIPMENTS ON THE CONTINENT. 
going on with a view to obtaining an increased rapidity of fire; 
modified breech and firing mechanisms were tried. The carriage was 
modified by having a spade attached to it; shoe brakes were also 
tried and were thought well of as they strained the carriage less than 
a spade. It is thought that a rate of fire of from four to five rounds 
a minute may be attained with this equipment when modified. These 
trials with converted equipments were carried out in March, 1898. 
BELGIUM 
The question of Q.F. field guns is said to be under consideration 
now in Belgium, * where a preference for a calibre of 2*95 inches 
exists. It is proposed to carry out trials with equipments pro¬ 
vided by the following firms :—Cockerill (in connection with the Paris 
ISTordenfelt Company) St. Chamond, Creusot, (Schneider-Canet,) 
Chatillon & Commentry, Cail, (Bange et Piffard) and Skoda de Pilsen. 
Some trials are believed to have been carried out at the end of 1898 
with some of these equipments. 
hussia. In 1895, the 
Russians introduc- 
J} / ed a new carriage 
for their light field 
and horse artillery 
batteries. Simul¬ 
taneous laying and 
loading were 
allowed for. In 
1897, a hand-book, 
written by a Russian 
Colonel, was pub¬ 
lished at Moscow 
giving certain infor¬ 
mation as to this 
carriage, with 
sketches.f The 
carriage has a spade 
pivoted near the 
end of the trail and 
connected by a rod 
with a system of 
india-rubber pads 
in the point of the 
trail. It is said 
that after the 
second round the 
only motion of the 
carriage on firing, 
is a lifting one, and 
that the wheels 
fall in the same 
place each time. 
F-ig. 5< 
Russian gun carriage. 
Model 1895 
* Bevue Militaire Suisse, October 1898, 
f Bevue d’Artillerie, Nov. 1897. 
