LYDD EXPERIMENTS, 1890 . 
35 
feefc six inches in height, the gun recoiling into the loading position 
and being elevated into the firing position by means of hydro-pneumatic 
rams, etc., forming part of the carriage. 
The target in this series was a typical Siege Battery, the crest being 
taken as the datum point for the measurement of hits. 
The range was about 3000 yards. 100 rounds were fired from each 
gun ; 50 from each mounting. 
The results were as follows :— 
Elswick Mounting. 
6-inch “ wire.” 49 rounds. Mean error 15’7 yards. Hits 24. 
,, a blow-out.” 48 ,, ,, ,, 3T2 „ „ 18. 
Easton and Anderson Mounting. 
6-inch “wire.” 43 rounds. Mean error 26‘4 yards. Hits 10. 
„ “blow-out.” 48 „ „ „ 14*4 „ „ 27. 
These results are very contradictory, since the wire gun appears to 
shoot best on the Elswick mounting, and the blow-out gun on the 
other. This may probably be due to the fact that the “ wire ” is 
lighter than the blow-out” gun, and thus moves more on the less 
steady mounting. Practice against such a target is not, however, a 
very good test of absolute accuracy, and this experiment was rather 
intended to try the handiness and serviceability of the mountings. 
In these respects, as also in handiness, the Elswick mounting appears 
to be much superior to the other, as it is steadier, more regular in 
recoil, can be more accurately traversed and elevated, and is more 
easily taken to pieces and put together; the Elswick mounting is, 
however, by far the heavier. 
Advantage was taken of this practice to test the effect of thin (4'5 
inches) iron plates, laid on the exterior slope, in deflecting shell which 
would otherwise have injured the parapet; in this, as was to be 
expected, they were successful. 
No difficulty whatever was experienced in assembling or dismantling 
the “ blow-out ” gun. 
Series ( G .)—To ascertain the effect of oblique howitzer fire on steel 
palisades in the ditch of the Twydall redoubt or similar work. 
Forty rounds of filled common shell were fired from two 8-in. 
ft.M.L. howitzers at a range of about 2600 yards, the line of fire was 
at an angle of 30 degrees to the line of palisades (which thus offered 
a target 30 feet by 10 feet) ; the angle of descent was 13 degrees. 
One howitzer (the 8-in. R.M.L.) was laid for direction with FrenclTs 
sights and for elevation with the clinometer, the other both for eleva¬ 
tion and direction with Scott’s sight, laying back on an auxiliary mark 
in rear. 
The practice was good, but a little short, the mean point of impact 
was minus eight yards, due to one howitzer having insufficient elevation. 
Nine shell, or 22*5 per cent., injured the palisades, of these three 
rounds passed through it without bursting, two hit it with splinters, 
and four burst under it. 
The palisade was wrecked and rendered useless as an obstacle, but 
