SHRAPNEL EIRE. 
177 
The following may be suggested as the probable angles at ranges up 
to 3000 yds.:—• 
Under 500 yds. 
. 7° 
1 2000 to 2500 yds. 
500 to 1300 /, . 
. 8° 
| 2500 to 2800 w . 
. 11° 
1300 to 2000// . 
. 9° 
| 2800 to 3000 // . 
. 12° 
A few rounds would settle the question, and the practical value of 
such an experiment would be very great. 
The third cause of aberration is that due to the difference in 
shape and weight between the bullets and the complete shell. The 
former are spherical, made of lead, and small; the latter elongated, 
composed of various metals, and comparatively large. The bullets 
begin, from the very commencement of their flight, to fall below what 
would have been the trajectory of the shell had it not burst; and 
had they to travel any considerable space, their fall would be large. 
Practically, however, the distances in front of objects at which 
shrapnel are as a rule burst, are small, and the fall of the centre line 
of the cone below that of the trajectory of a shell is insignificant. 
Lieut. Groold-Adams has been good enough to place at the writer's 
disposal the accompanying diagrams (Figs. I., II., III., IV., V.) 
of the cones of dispersion of different shrapnel shells at different 
ranges. Taking any two as an example, it will be seen that at 
900 yds. range the centre line of the cone of a shell burst 150 yds. 
short falls only 1^ ft. below the trajectory of the shell; at 2000 yds. and 
80 yds. short, only 2 ft. Practically, when the cone is so large, so 
small a fall can affect the general result but slightly. 
If, then, it is conceded that the angles of the cones for different 
ranges as given above are fairly correct, and that practically we may 
take the centre of the cone to coincide very nearly with the trajectory 
of the shell, the effect of shrapnel due to different ranges and lengths 
of burst may be easily calculated. 
We shall have to consider, with regard to this cone of dispersion— 
1. Its diameter at different parts, and the breadth of ground which 
it consequently covers. 
2. Its area at different lengths, and the number of bullets and 
splinters in such area. 
3. Plan of ground covered by effective fire, especially with regard 
to the length from front to rear. 
4. - Effect of height of burst above plane. 
5. Power of bullets at different distances from burst, when the 
shell is travelling with different velocities. 
Having considered these points, it will be possible to deduce the 
best positions at which to burst shells with a view to the work they 
may be required to perform. 
1. The diameters of the cone for different angles will be, speaking 
roughly, as follows :— 
For 8°. *14 of the length. 
„ 9°. -15 
„ 10°. *17 
