Defence of 
Mine-fields. 
Summary. 
294 QUICK-FIRING GUNS IN HARBOUR DEFENCE. 
at Shoeburyness, said that if an enemy on the sea could do what he 
wanted with small, fast craft, he would endeavour to push them past 
the coast works in preference to risking his valuable sea-going ships. 
Also that all removal of obstructions in a barred channel would be 
attempted by the same class of vessel. Against these quick-firing 
guns would be of the greatest utility. He was of opinion that if the 
enemy did determine to take the risk of running his fleet through a 
defended channel, having cleared the way, his fastest ships, probably 
unarmoured cruisers, would dash in first. A concentrated fire from 
heavy quick-firing guns would give a very good chance of disabling 
these, and so delaying under fire the armoured ships following in their 
wake for a time sufficient to put them also cut of action by riddling 
their unarmoured portions. He further said that raids by cruisers 
would be the form of attack most likely to be met with; and this 
class of vessel is the very one with which quick-firing ordnance are 
best able to cope, and for engaging which they are chiefly superior to 
the ordinary weapons of destruction. 
To meet all the naval operations mentioned in the last paragraph, 
the importance of the following words, quoted from the manual of 
Garrison Artillery, Vol. I., 1887, is most apparent :—“ Against ships 
in motion, or in the defence of a channel attempted to be forced by 
steam-ships, it (the rate of fire) cannot be too rapid , provided the gun 
is carefully laid.” No other class of ordnance can fulfil this command¬ 
ment so well as the quick-firing guns. 
It is probable that the lighter quick-firing guns may be used, on 
cone mountings in railway trucks, for the defence of land fronts, but 
this enters more into the domain of Siege Artillery. They would 
probably have to be used independently, though for such a purpose as 
repelling an assault they could be massed in a train, to be moved to 
the various points of attack as required. 
The utility of the lighter natures, particularly the 3-prs. on field 
carriages, for the defence of mine-fields has already been recognised 
by their adoption in the Land Service; so that nothing need be said 
here on that point, further than that it would be advisable to prepare 
covered positions for their use—two or three positions for the same 
guns under various circumstances, if necessary. 
Machine guns (except the 1-inch Nordenfelt, should that be intro¬ 
duced for Land Service) would all be in the hands of the infantry, 
their role being to intensify or supplement infantry fire. 
To summarise generally the above considerations we see that quick- 
firing ordnance, more especially the 6-inch and 4*7-inch guns, if 
employed in Harbour Defence, will afford most valuable aid as 
auxiliaries to the main armament of the defence ; will in a good many 
cases be equivalent to, or even do better work than such main arma¬ 
ment ; and will perform certain special duties with far more effect than 
can be hoped for by the use of any other weapons. Under these 
circumstances we may consider it certain that before very long (i.e., 
when the supply of these guns to the Navy has been completed), 
those of the Royal Artillery whose duty it is to man our harbour 
defences will have a considerable number of guns of this. description 
