THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
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testimonies in his favour, but with the claims which have been put forward 
on behalf of other nations. These claims are two in number : the first is a 
claim which has been preferred by General Bormann of the Belgian army, 
on behalf of the Germans of the 16th Century; the second is a claim 
preferred by the celebrated Piobert on behalf of the Prench artillerists of 
the 17th Century. These claims I shall proceed to investigate in succession: 
(1) The Germans claim to the Invention. 
General Borm arm's work on The Shrapnel Shell in England and in 
Belgium, commences with the following passage :—“ The English were the 
first nation who, in modern times, employed the projectiles known in England 
more under the name of f spherical case shot/ than under that of shrapnel; 
hence generally, though erroneously, as we shall see hereafter, its invention 
is believed to be of English origin.”— Shrapnel Shell in England and 
Belgium , p. 1. 
The ground upon which General Bormann disputes General Shrapnel's 
claim to the invention is, that the shrapnel shell was merely, as he believes, 
the application of a principle perfectly well known to the German artillerists 
of the 16th Century, and applied by them in the form of a projectile 
termed, hagel hugel (hail shot). This is what General Bormann says upon 
the. subject :—“ The shrapnel shell is a German invention of the 16th 
Century, as has lately been discovered. Eor this discovery the Germans 
are indebted to a distinguished officer of the Royal Prussian Artillery, 
works, in General Shrapnel’s favour. I have selected those which are concise and best adapted for 
quotation, and which appear to me to be the most weighty: to these a large number of other 
quotations of a similar nature might be added, but those I have given will suffice for my 
purpose:— 
“ This invention has universally been accorded to General Shrapnel of the British Artillery.”-® 
Ordnance Select Committee 'Report on Shrapnel Shells, p. 5. 
“ Shrapnel shells.take their name from that of the inventor, the late General Shrapnel, 
of the Royal Artillery.”— Observations on Shrapnel Shells, p. 9. 
“ Shells originally introduced by General Shrapnel.”—Owen and Dames’ Lectures on Artillery , 
p. 69. 
“ Although General Shrapnel’s invention of spherical case shot dates from the beginning of the 
present century,” &c.— Report of American Ordmance Commission to JEurope, p. 167. 
“ Shrapnel’s shells, or spherical case: The author of the British Gunner, has very justly observed 
that the latter term is given to the prejudice of the ingenious inventor Major General Shrapnel.” 
Aide Memoire to the Military Sciences. (See also The British Gunner. Introductory Remarks). 
General Eoy in his JEListorie de la gurre de la Feninsule, Vol. I. p. 298, speaks of “ Shrapnel 
spherical case shot from the inventor’s name, Col. Shrapnel.”— Observations on Shrapnel Shells, p. 71. 
Paixhans in his Constitution Militaire de la France, p. 248, speaks of them as having been 
“ proposed by Shrapnel, an English Artillerist.”— Ibid. p. 70. 
“ Colonel Shrapnel of the Royal Artillery, has the exclusive merit of having added this formidable 
weapon to those already in use,” &c.—James’ Military Dictionary, p. 813. 
“ The military weapon, which, as I have said, my father had for some time patronized, and 
endeavoured to introduce, was a kind of shell, invented by an ingenious Officer of Artillery, Lt.-Col. 
Shrapnel, and now familarly known by the name of Spherical case shot.”—Memoirs of Sir John 
Sinclair, by his son, the Rev. John Sinclair, M.A. Vol. II. p. 243. 
“To that able and distinguished officer (Major-General Shrapnel), is due the credit of the 
invention which has made his name so justly celebrated.”— Naval Gunnery, p.425. 
See also opinions of Decker and Meyer quoted further on. 
