7 
These shrapnel have already been tried in Austria and found to be enormously 
strong. 
(14.) Captain Moch fully concurs as to the “curve of least resistance” for 
the head of the shrapnel. This he says, has already been adopted in France. 
Professor August, however, the inventor of the the curve in question, denies that 
the French curve is the right one. 
(15.) The same writer, Captain Moch, maintains that in a 2°76 inch shrapnel 
there will be no room for bullets. 
General Wille finds fault with his arithmetic, and gives the following distribution 
of weights : 
Bulletse(ead) Masui Beceem neo ectanetae sOn OILS IDSs 
FRESIN hey Baie teeter ae eee Pesta Mia Se RO Ona 
TRUER BBO OA Ge oo0 coo coo ooo 000 coo  WeO a5 
Fuze ... Mace ae Ae TD, Le EO COs 
Body and heed oh ace 00 ere cee ove ave 6°4:15 29 
Total 009 eee 600 000 14°329 ” 
With tungsten bullets the proportion of weight of bullets to weight of steel 
would be considerably higher. 
(16.) Captain Moch objects to tungsten for bullets as too rare and too expensive. 
General Wille differs, refers to his book on Wolframgeschdssé, and promises to 
confute Captain Moch in his next new book. 
(17.) All the critics, with one exception, approve of the proposed abolition of 
case shot. 
(18.) One critic objects to 30 rounds in the limber, as being “ too little for a 
quick-firing gun.” 
General Wille shews some annoyance at being misunderstood. He repeats em- 
phatically that a quick-firing field gun is an utter impossibility. With admissible 
limits of weight it is impracticable to construct a field gun absolutely without 
yecoil—so that it need not be laid again after every round—unless indeed the 
charge is so small as to render the shooting power of the gun contemptible. Even 
if a Q.F. field gun could be made, it would hardly be worth the trouble, since the 
“ ordinary’ rate of artillery fire would on service seldom be exceeded. With re- 
gard to the insufficiency of his ammunition supply as compared with modern 
standards, he considers that the number of rounds carried with the battery is 
sufficient for any emergency, and that the extra ammunition should be with the 
column on the road, not tearing across country after the guns. His light carriages 
with reduced dead weight will much facilitate the supply of ammunition. 
(19.) Most of the critics object to the nave compressor brake, as being in- 
efficient, heavy, complicated, jerky in its action, and likely to break the spokes. 
General Wille replies : (a) that it is lighter than any tire brake; (4) that he has 
seen it thoroughly and successfully tried by Griison; (c) that Krupp has just 
adopted it for his new field howitzer. After which he considers that there is no 
more to be said. 
(20.) Captain K. objects to the tubular steel pole. General Wille replies that 
this has already been tried and proved a success, and that it has the great advan- 
tage of being unbreakable. When ill-treated it bends or doubles up. It never 
becomes quite unserviceable, and can always be repaired. 
(21.) Follows a defence of the Mannesmann tube rolling process against 
various critics who deny that it has yet reached a practical stage. 
(22.) Three critics object that the high velocity and long projectile of the pro- 
