SHRAPNEL FIRE. 
199 
gun, No. 1 Squadron has 6 strikes only. Then, through the front 
rank of No. 2 are 2 direct hits; and consequently the return of the 
rear rank is, through 65, lodged 54, struck 10. In this rank, again, 
is 1 direct hit, and consequently the front rank of No. 3 suffers 
slightly; its rear rank and the rest of the target are untouched. 
The result is 20 dummies disabled. 
Again, in Okehampton Report, at p. 79, with 16-pr. percussion 
shrapnel, the front rank of No. 1 Squadron has through 3, lodged 2, 
struck 116; its rear rank is untouched; both ranks of No. 2 and the 
front rank of No. 3 are untouched, except by 4 strikes. One direct 
hit in the latter, however, leaves its mark on the rear rank, which has 
22 hits. On this rear rank, again, there is a direct hit, giving a 
slight effect on the front rank of No. 4. There are 2 direct hits on 
this front rank, the result being two clusters of bullets in the rear rank. 
During the whole of the series referred to the time fuzes were 
entirely experimental, and the practice so inferior in consequence that 
any comparison made between them and percussion must be very 
advantageous to the latter. In the practice recorded at pp. 70-71, 
Okehampton Report, the two natures were pitted against each other, 
and service time fuzes were used. It is here given in extenso :—* 
Series Q.—Experiments 62, 23.—16-pr. 
30th August and 1st September, 1875. 
Table of Mean Results. 
To ascertain the comparative effect of shrapnel shells with both percussion and 
time fuzes, when fired at a target representing a regiment of cavalry in quarter 
distance column of squadrons. 
8 rows of targets, each target 9' X 9' X 2"; 12 targets per row. 
5 paces between ranks, 11 paces between squadrons, frontage 36 paces, depth 
53 paces. 
Range, 2000 yds. Guns on same level as target. 
Number 
Total hits. 
Grand 
Total 
Particulars of 
of 
total 
troopers 
ammunition. 
rounds. 
hits. 
disabled. 
Through.- 
Lodged. 
Struck. 
Shrapnel percussion . 
36 
222 
194 
1168 
1574 
131 
Shrapnel time. 
36 
397 
13L 
984 
1512 
182 
The following are the experiments in detail:—■ 
Series Q.—Experiment No. 62.—16-pr. 
Practice 1st September, 1875, at a column of targets (No. 4) representing a 
regiment of cavalry in quarter distance column of squadrons. Range, 2000 yds. to 
head of column. 
36 shrapnel shells with time fuzes fired independently in 10 minutes, of which 
