510 THE ARTILLERY IN CHITRAL. 
officers, and sheep, goats, fowls and ghee! for the remainder, and most 
welcome they were. 
On this day news was received that the siege of Chitral had been 
raised and there was no more occasion for forced marches. Sub- 
sequently the Derajat battery crossed the Lowarai Pass (10,500 feet), 
marched to Chitral with the 3rd Brigade and took part on 16th May 
in the parade of the Chitral garrison and the two Relief Columns. 
On the whole the equipment, ammunition, etc. of the Mountain 
batteries appears to have given great satisfaction. Major Cunningham 
remarks that “The time and percussion fuze No. 55 Mark III. acted 
admirably. Shrapnel shell Mark III. often failed to break up, the 
bullets remaining intact in a mass in the resin in the body of the shell. 
I found two like this at Malakand, the fuzes of which had evidently 
acted quite properly. Ring shell good. Mekometer very useful.” 
Captain Parker says “ The star shell fuzes seem to require an improved 
uncapping arrangement as, in the dark, the priming frequently strips 
off with the cap unperceived. I attribute 2 blind star shell out of 7 
fired on night of 18th April to this cause, proof of which was afforded 
by the 8th shell loaded but not fired and subsequently unloaded.” 
The shooting seems to have been conducted generally on the lines of 
the latest instructions. Major Shirres says that “It was sometimes 
necessary to find range and fuze for one central part, then others were 
estimated and corrections made according to observation. This was 
necessary to save ammunition, as many points were shelled and the exact 
spot to be fired at changed constantly according to the enemy’s move- 
ments. As observation was very easy this system seemed to act well.” 
Captain Parker found that “the enemy frequently made off too quickly 
to allow of the ranging system being carried through. The regulation 
system had to be adapted to circumstances.” 
1Native butter. 
