FIELD ARTILLERY FIRE. 
267 
400 yards can be conveniently fired. Thus :— 
“ Ranging section, 3000 yards. 
Shrapnel, 2900, Fuze ? 
2700, Fnze ?” 
“ Ranging Section, 2600. 
Shrapnel, 2500, Fuze ? 
2300, Fuze ?” 
When the target is within about 600 yards the guns should be 
loaded with case, and the battery should wait until the target gets to 
within the effective case zone, which will vary slightly according to the 
nature of the ground. 
In the “ Instructions for Practice, 1892,” a method is laid down, by 
which a rapid fire of time shrapnel may be continued up to the very 
moment of the entry of the cavalry into the case shot zone. This is 
done by causing each gun to be supplied with a portable magazine 
containing three shrapnel with fuzes set at 2. When used, these shell 
can be fired with great rapidity, the depth of the cone of dispersion 
amply compensating for any small error in the position of the burst. 
They are most effective between 350 and 800 yards. 
CHAPTER VI. 
Observation of Fire. 
This is one of the most important and difficult of the questions under 
consideration. 
It is important because the whole of the ranging, and thus the effect 
of all subsequent fire,- depends upon the correct observation of the 
ranging shots. 
It is difficult because, unlike all other parts of the process of ranging, 
which can be practised and brought to the greatest pitch of perfection 
on the barrack square, observation can only be fully exercised when fir¬ 
ing with projectiles is actually going on. The amount of ammunition 
available for any single battery is hardly sufficient to keep those con¬ 
cerned at a high degree of proficiency; everyone should therefore take 
every opportunity of observing fire, noting his observations and, when 
possible, comparing them subsequently with the report of the range- 
party. 
It is, perhaps, hardly necessary to dwell upon the fact that anyone 
trying to observe the effect of fire should be properly equipped, either 
with field glasses or telescope. Observation with the naked eye is, 
even at short ranges, generally very inaccurate. (A foreign writer has 
recently said, from an analysis of many thousand series, that 8 per 
cent, of rounds are wrongly observed, 23 per cent, are not observed or 
are marked doubtful, while 69 per cent, are accurately observed. He 
speaks of ranging rounds only.) Field glasses have the advantage of 
being very handy, and have a comparatively large field but, if the tar¬ 
get is at all indistinct and difficult to pick up when once the eye has 
been taken off it, it is best to use a telescope on a tripod, which can be 
36 
