232 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OE 
strengthened at either end by a counterfort 4 ft. square, there was one loop¬ 
hole about the centre. It was covered by a counterguard of earth of the 
same height, the crest of which was 60 ft. distant: as shewn by the annexed 
section. 
3. In the instructions to the officer commanding the battery, the object of 
the experiment was stated to be “to determine whether the detached wall, which 
is covered by a counterguard, and not visible from the batteries, can be breached 
so as to render an assault practicable.” The instructions go on to say, (2) “The 
ordnance used are 10-in. and 8-in. iron howitzers, firing live shells filled with 
powder, and 68-pr. carronades firing solid shot. (3) The howitzers and 
some of the carronades are on garrison carriages placed on raised traversing 
platforms, solely with the view of raising these pieces to the correct level; the 
rest of the carronades are merely on garrison carriages placed on common 
platforms, the difference of level being disregarded. (4) The ordnance are 
all proposed to be fired at an elevation of 15° above the crest of the counter¬ 
guard, and the charges, which will not be changed, are regulated accordingly, 
as the shot and shells are wished just to graze the crest; the elevation will be 
varied in any trifling degree to accommodate itself to this intention, but when 
the exact elevation for each battery shall have been determined by careful 
observation of the first few rounds, this elevation will be steadily adhered to 
during the whole firing. . . (8) The batteries will as much as possible be 
fired in salvoes, this mode of firing being evidently the most favourable for 
breaching the wall. (9) The fuzes for the shells are intended to be so cut 
as to ensure that the shells strike the wall before they explode. ...” 
4. The report of the practice has been printed by Sir Howard Douglas 
in his “Observations on Modern Systems of Fortification” (1859), but as 
that work may not be at hand, I reproduce it in the Appendix, p. 242. 
The ranges, elevations, and charges were as follows :— 
Three 10-in. iron howitzers at 600 yards; charge 1 lb. 3 oz., elevation 12£°, reduced on the 
third day of practice to 1 lb. 2 oz., elevation 13f°. 
Three 8-in. howitzers at 400 yards ; charge 11 oz., elevation 13^°. 
Eight 68-pr. carronades firing shot, at 400 yards; charge lib. the first two days, reduced to 
14 oz. the third day; elevation 13° to 14°. 
The 10-in. and 8-in. shells were at first fired with their full bursting 
charges of 5 lbs. and 2J lbs respectively; but inconsequence of some danger 
apprehended from the splinters, these were reduced to 2 lbs. 14 oz., or 3 lbs. 
for the 10-in.; lib. 14 oz. or 2lbs. for the 8-in. howitzer. The general 
result was that out of 3436 rounds fired, 202 shells and 289 shot took 
