228 
NOTES 
ON 
THE FIELD AETILLEEY OF ITALY. 
TBANSLATED EEOM THE SPANISH BY 
LIEUT. J. C. DALTON, E.H.A. 
Translator’s Preface. 
This article is translated from the Spanish “Memorial de Artillena,” Feb. 1877, 
but the original appeared last December in the Italian “ Revista Militare.” 
I have given the tables as I found them, witli the exception that all measure¬ 
ments, &c., have been converted into English measure. I cannot, of course, vouch 
for the accuracy of the tables, as I have only been able to verify them as regards 
the English and Italian guns, and in the latter case I found that the figures 
corresponded with those given by Major-General H. H. Maxwell, C.B., in his 
article on the 7 C Italian gun, in Yol. IX., No. 7, “ Proceedings, R.A. Institution,” 
which article describes the gun in question and all pertaining to it very fully, and 
compares it with our 9-pr. M.L.R. gun of 6 cwt* 
Ballincollig-, 
June, 1877. _ 
The Italian field artillery of the present day consists of two classes of 
ordnance—viz., the breech-loading rifled gun of 7’5 C calibre (2*95 ins.), 
and the muzzle-loading rifled gun of 12° (4*7 ins.) 
The B.L.R. Gun of 7*5 C . 
This is one of the most notable guns produced by artillery science 
within the last three or four years. 
It discharges three classes of projectiles :— 
(1) Common shell, weighing 3‘7 k (8°2 lbs.), which breaks up on 
bursting into an average number of 24 fragments. 
(2) Shrapnel shell, containing 100 bullets, and weighing 4*2 k 
(9*37 lbs.) 
(3) Case shot, containing 61 balls, and weighing 4*l k (9'1 lbs.) 
The common shell would be employed at ranges varying from 2000 
to 3600 metres (2187 to 3936 yds.) exclusively against moving objects, 
and also against objects which offer a certain resistance—such as gates, 
walls of enclosures, country houses, &c. If the object is very extensive 
—as, for example, the camp of a division—the enemy may be harassed 
at a range of 5000 metres (5467 yds.); but only in very rare cases 
would such a long range be employed. 
