175 
A SUGGESTION FOR FIRING “ PUFFS ” 
FOR TRAINING OBSERVERS. 
BY 
CAPTAIN C. 8. VORES, R.H.A. 
Tue method of firing the puffs issued for training observers in horse 
and field batteries seems to admit of improvement, and as the greatest 
difficulty we have to overcome is the correct observation of fire, any- 
thing which makes the discharge of a puff more like the burst of a 
shell is desirable. 
When fired from a peg, as at present, the powder being unconfined 
except by the bag, the smoke at once rises into the air and presents a 
very different appearance to that rising from a shell burst or graze. 
No doubt other officers have noticed the same thing, and the following 
suggestion is only made in the hope that it may be of some use to 
those who have not noticed it or worked out any plan for themselves. 
An iron tube about 5” long and 2°5” in diameter, open at one end 
and. closed at the other, is rivetted to the peg. Two rivets are required, 
the closed end resting against the peg, and a hole must be drilled for 
the friction tube. This can be done by the battery farrier at a cost of 
about 3d. a peg. 
The peg must be driven into the ground with the closed end of the 
tube towards the observer. 
When the puff is fired, the smoke is propelled forward and gives a 
very good imitation of a shell burst on graze. 
The head of the peg should be 4” or 5” above the ground. 
It has been found that three-quarters of an ounce of powder gives 
quite enough smoke to represent the burst of a shrapnel. 
b Seal 
EA ae 
A 4 Va 
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A A c 
y y 
Y 
(Pa gal 
A. section of peg. 6 hole for friction tube. 
e iron pipe. dd rivets. 
4. Vou. XXIII. 
