198 
FIELD ARTILLERY FIRE. 
d. The weight of the bullets in foreign case shot greatly exceeds 
that of our own. We have bullets at 84 to the pound, the 
others vary from the German at 6^ to the pound to the Italian 
at 20 to the pound. 
Case shot. The circumstances under which case shot can be used are 
so very restricted that it will be as well to dismiss that projectile first. 
Our case shot, on account of the lightness of its bullets, can only be 
claimed to be useful up to 400 yards, whereas some of the foreign 
powers claim an effective zone of 600 yards, but, per contra, our pro¬ 
jectile at the shorter ranges has an immensely superior number of bul¬ 
lets. It is curious to observe that the Germans, with the heaviest 
bullet of all, only claim an effective range of 300 metres, whereas the 
French with a bullet of 11 to the pound claim an effective range of 500 
metres. 
It is comparatively seldom that case shot is used against infantry, 
for the reason that they would probably not venture into the zone of 
case shot fire until the guns were partially silenced, for instance, if an 
enemy attacking our guns arrives at about 450 yards he could silence 
them by rifle fire before entering the deadly case zone. Case is there¬ 
fore more often used against a sudden rush at the guns by cavalry or 
a fanatic enemy unprovided with firearms, and may be considered from 
that point of view. 
When such an attack is expected all the case should be brought up 
to the guns, for, in the last two minutes of a cavalry charge, when it 
must be stopped or be successful, there is not sufficient time for service 
from the limber. 
The time when it is considered necessary to cease the fire of shrap¬ 
nel, and, having loaded with case, to await the entrance of the enemy 
into the 400 yard zone, must depend upon the state of training of the 
battery. In our service it is thought that this change should be made 
when the enemy is within 600 to 700 yards. The short pause that 
ensues has the advantage of steadying down the battery before the 
critical moment. Abroad they make arrangements for a very rapid 
fire of time shrapnel up to the actual moment when case shot fire com¬ 
mences. This is done by causing all fuzes, which are carried fixed in 
the shell, instead of being carried set at zero, to be always set for such 
a distance as is just beyond the effective range of case; in Germany 
they are carried set so as to burst the shell at from 150 to 200 metres 
from the guu. Thus, at a very critical period, no setting of fuzes is 
required and a very rapid fire can be kept up continuously. A some¬ 
what similar plan has just been adopted into our service. 
The principal errors in the administration of case shot fire in our 
service are : 
a. That when case shot fire is ordered the fire of the battery often 
becomes independent. This is a grave fault, for it is generally 
recognised that when the fire of a battery becomes indepen¬ 
dent the battery is out of hand. The proper rate of fire and 
the most rapid permissible is ‘ f Rapid fire by sections.” The 
fire is thus thoroughly retained in hand and some of the guns 
