204 
SHRAPNEL EIRE. 
leaves nothing to be desired, and the per-centage of failures is extremely 
small. Can it be said that the time fuze is in its way as perfect ? 
Time fuzes (1) cannot be carried fixed. (2) They can seldom be 
prepared at the limber, because when in presence of the enemy it is 
often—indeed generally—at a considerable distance from the gun; 
while, therefore, No. 6 is going and returning and the process of boring 
is being carried out, there is considerable loss of time, during which the 
length of the range may have altered. (3) If they are so prepared. 
No. 1 cannot see whether they are well or badly bored, since it must 
be done by No. 7 at some distance from him; and this leads to the 
direction that in almost any instance he should do it himself. He has 
already more than enough to do, if he superintends the work of the 
detachment; is constantly looking out for directions from the C.O.; 
lays with care; and watches the effect of his fire : besides which, the 
manipulation of live shells under fire cannot be absolutely safe. (4) 
Even with the hook borer, there is a chance of bad boring, with the 
hand a still greater one; with this latter there is also the possibility of 
No. 1 trying to cut half-tenths—an attempt very generally fatal to 
good practice. (5) The confusion which arises in the minds of both 
N.C.O.'s and men from the combination of secs, of flight and T V hs of 
inches is often very great; especially when fire is required to be rapid 
and there are many other points to attend to; the mere teaching is 
difficult from this cause. (6) In the M.L. fuzes the lighting of the 
composition by quick-match is not altogether satisfactory. It is from 
deterioration of the match that old fuzes are always found to burn 
longer than new, quite as much as from an alteration in the condition of 
the fuze composition itself; and undoubtedly in very wet or even damp 
weather, though the match is uncovered for only a short time, there 
is a considerable loss of quickness of lighting, and even chance of failure. 
(7) Graze has a very great effect on them. (8) The following table 
shows what can be effected with them, taking the 16-pr. as the gun used. 
I 
5-secs, fuzes. 
9-secs, fuzes, beginning at 1 in. 
Difference 
Tenths of 
Range. 
i due to 
Tenths. 
Range. 
Difference.! 
| fuze. 
! 
1 tenth. 
yds. 
yds. 
1-0 
200 
—1 
10 
1725 
— 
! 1-5 
295 
95 
11 
1875 
150 
2-0 
390 
95 
12 
2020 
145 j 
2'5 
485 
90 
13 
2165 
145 
1 3-0 
575 
90 
14 
2305 
140 
3-5 
665 
90 
15 
2445 
140 
4-0 
755 
90 
16 
2580 
135 
4-5 
840 
85 
17 
2715 
135 
5-0 
925 
85 
18 
2845 
135 
| 5-5 
1010 
85 
19 
2975 
130 
6-0 
1095 
85 
20 
3100 
125 
i 6‘5 
1175 
80 
1 7-0 
1255 
80 
7-5 
1335 
80 
8-0 
1415 
80 
8'5 
1495 
80 
. 
9-0 
1575 
80 
9-5 
1650 
75 
10-0 
1 
1725 
75 
