3 
selected as superior in initial and remaining energy to all other European guns 
of 3* 6-inch calibre, excepting the French gun of that calibre. 
British 
12-pr. of 
1884. 
French 
80 mm of 
1877. 
Spanish 
80 mm 
Sotomayor. 
Calibre, . 
.ins. 
3 
3-15 
3*14 
Weight of projectile, 
.lbs. 
12 
13*845 
13*89 
Muzzle velocity, 
.f.s. 
1720 
1526 
1509 
Muzzle energy, 
foot-tons 
246 
223 
219 
Weight of gun, 
cwt. 
7 
8*33 
5*59 
Energy per cwt. of gun, foot-tons 
35 
27 
39 
If we accept General Wille’s ideas the British gun is far superior to the 
French one. The calibre is less, the projectile proportionally heavier, the muzzle 
velocity and energy are higher, likewise the energy relative to weight of gun, and 
finally the gun is much lighter. 
Let us now see how this initial strength fares afterwards by a comparison of 
the remaining velocities at various ranges. 
Range in 
Yards. 
Remaining velocity 
in f.s. 
British 
gun. 
French 
gun. 
Spanish 
gun. 
— 
1720 
1526 
1509 
1100 
1220 
1168 
1217 
2200 
965 
994 
1014 
3300 
824 
886 
873 
4400 
715 
817 
771 
We see that at 2000 yards and upwards the French gun of a seven years 
earlier model is more powerful than the British one, and is in point of fact 
superior in ballistic power at the usual ranges than any other field gun in 
Europe. Captain Moch adds that at ranges of 5500, 6600, and 7700 yards the 
remaining velocities of the 80 mm obus a mitraille are respectively 770, 748, and 
745 feet, that is, superior to the remaining velocities of all other European guns 
at 4400 yards. 
The higher muzzle velocity of the British gun is obtained at the cost of a 
stronger and more complicated carriage than its rival, and we have seen of how 
little real service that velocity is. The British gun complete without limber 
gunners carries six more rounds than the French one, and weighs rather more 
than 86 cwt., while the latter weighs but 82 cwt. The latter is the French 
Horse Artillery gun. Their field gun of 3 * 6-inch calibre gives to the team a 
weight of about 41 cwt. It is of course a more powerful gun than the British 
12-pr. 
