( 489 ) 
A PLEA FOE “JUMPING.” 
BY 
CAPTAIN W. P. SAUNDERS, R.A. 
]The Committee, although not agreeing with the method of ranging brought forward by the 
writer of this paper, consider the subject an important one, and trust its publication may draw 
attention to the necessity for a more rapid system than that now in vogue, and lead to further 
suggestions. Secretary R.A.I.] 
A S, by the present system of ranging and trial fuzes, more than half 
the time of an ordinary competitive series is wasted before really 
effective Shrapnel are put in, the following suggestions are made with 
a view to reaching “ Battery fire ” a little sooner. 
The times of firing of each gun of a well drilled battery, in an ordin¬ 
ary series, might read approximately as follows : —• 
No. of gun. 
3 
4 
5 
6 
a 
a 
e} 
Mins. 
o 
i 
1 
2 
3 
3 
4 
4 
5 
6 
Secs. 
Range. 
35 
2000 yards 
i 5 
2200 
)) 
55 
2100 
)) 
35 
2150 
i 5 
2175 
55 
2175 
10 
2175 
5 ) 
Fuze 9 1 / 2 
50 
2175 
)} 
Fuze 10 
30 
2175 
Fuze 9^ 
00 
“ Battery fire at 10 secs.” 
mence and 24 rounds in all be fired at 
7 mins* 50 secs, by the watch. 
The interval of 40 secs, between rounds might approximately be 
made up as under : — 
Time of flight—about 6 secs. 
Time of observation, Battery Commander making up his mind and 
estimating necessary correction—9 secs. 
Passing orders—3 secs. 
10. VOL XXVI. 
