202 
SHRAPNEL EIRE. 
In Series 5 and 7 the effect seems due to one shell which has 
burst very short. In the 5th, two adjacent targets (a front of only 
7 men) have received 102 ont of the total 107 hits. In the 7th, the 
same extent of front, 76 ont of 124 hits. There is no effective spread. 
When objects instead of being standing, as has been the case with 
the targets in the practice hitherto considered, are in motion, percussion 
are at a great disadvantage as compared with time shrapnel. In the first 
place, the very good shooting necessary for their full effect is difficult 
of attainment. In the second, even while the shell is in the air, 
the object must have moved; unless, therefore, an allowance be 
made—and this is no easy task—the best shooting may be thrown out. 
Take as an instance a body of infantry advancing by rushes, opposed 
by the fire of a 16-pr. at 1725 yds. range, the time of flight of its 
shell being then 5 secs. They pass over the ground at the rate of 
6 miles an hour, or 3 yds. per second, and have therefore moved 15 yds. 
while the shell is in the air. At such a range an error of + 15 yds. 
would have a serious effect on percussion shell; it would not, however, 
materially affect one fired with a time fuze. 
The loss of effect due to increased range, which has already been 
shown to be the case with time shrapnel, is very great when percussion 
fuzes are used. There are unfortunately only two ranges the practice 
at which can be distinctly compared, since in that at pp. 61-64, 
Okehampton Report, the ground has already been shown to have been 
so unfavourable for percussion shrapnel that the results are unreliable. 
They are the 2000 yds. practice at p. 71, and 3930 yds. at p. 77, 
Okehampton Report; the effect on the front ranks can only be con¬ 
sidered, in order to eliminate any shells that burst through targets 
close in front of others. 
Range. Through. Lodged. Struck. Dummies 
yds. disabled. 
2000 . 16 _ 11 66 . 17 
3930 . 3 . 2 . 116 . 3 
The large proportion of strikes at the last range, and the small 
number of men disabled in comparison with the number of hits, shows 
how great the falling off has been in power and spread. 
Up to this point, some practice at Okehampton in which percussion 
gained an advantage over time shrapnel has not been mentioned, 
except when the action of the latter was being considered. The only 
inference then drawn was that time, after all, had far greater power than 
percussion. 
When comparing the two natures, the advantage thus gained must 
be admitted; some remarks may, however, be offered which will show 
that there may be reasons for supposing that the results are not 
altogether reliable. 
The practice is as follows :—- 
9-jjt. KM.L. 
Experiments carried out, 27. 8. 75, to ascertain the relative effects of shrapnej 
shells, burst by time and percussion fuzes; the fire being directed at an objec^ 
consisting of two rows of 6-ft. targets, 9 targets in each row, with an interval Of 
