Shells ; the 
segment. 
518 GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1879 . 
Using, then, wrought-iron only, a carriage weighing about lOcwt. is 
found sufficiently strong to stand the discharge of a 27'5-lb. shell, at 
1300 f.s., from a gun weighing 12 cwt. We think, then, that using steel 
we should be able, by means of the abpve-mentioned method, to fire a 
24-lb. shell, 1600 f.s., from a carriage weighing 12 cwt. It will be 
conceded, we think, that this is not beyond the bounds of possibility. 
With regard to the checking of recoil—which would be great if 
uncontrolled—the R.C.D. nave-breaks appear to answer very well. In 
cases when it is desirable to bring the gun up in a small space, two 
drag-shoes, one applied to each wheel, make a very powerful break. 
The recoil with them would probably not exceed 5 ft. on turf. 
It seems advisable to abolish axletree-boxes, seats for the gunners 
alone being required. A couple of rounds of case can be carried in 
leather pockets inside the trail brackets. 
The introduction of a break which, in addition to checking recoil, 
could be used in coming into action, going down hills, &c., so as to take 
the strain off the wheel horses, would be of itself an improvement 
which every field artilleryman will appreciate. 
Ammunition. 
28. We now arrive at a part of our subject which has exercised a 
very great influence on the effects produced by rifled guns—viz., the 
ammunition. 
24. We propose first to discuss the question of the projectile. As 
before stated, it was endeavoured on the first introduction of rifled guns 
to use only one nature of projectile—the segment shell; but actual 
service and comparative practice eventually showed that segment, 
neither as case, common, or shrapnel, produced as good effects as 
projectiles specially made for each of those purposes. 
As case shot, its effect was far inferior to the ordinary nature; the 
segments were comparatively few, lost their velocity quickly, and 
ricochetted badly. 
As common shell, its failure in China to set fire to junks—an object 
which was afterwards effected by 24-pr. S.B. Howitzers—and in Hew 
Zealand its failure to destroy stockades, from its want of a sufficient 
bursting charge, led to the introduction of a shell of this latter nature. 
As shrapnel, it failed as a time shell; in fact, its construction and 
wide cone of dispersion necessitated its being burst close up to the 
object at'which it was fired. This could only be effected by the use of 
a percussion fuze, and rendered an exact knowledge of the range 
essential. Moreover, the very curved trajectory of the guns from 
which it was fired rendered its effect in soft ground almost nil. 
During its use in the service we had not discovered a really satisfactory 
percussion fuze. 
However, with all its defects, the segment, under favourable circum¬ 
stances and at close range, up to 1500 yds. or so, was a comparatively 
formidable shell, and had England engaged in a European war it would 
have been found to be so. 
