FACTS OF INTEREST ABOUT THE WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 3 February 1900, Page 1 (Supplement)

FACTS OF INTEREST ABOUT THE WAR.

"SHRAPNEL."

Shrapnel shell consists of a body and head. The body is cylindrical in shape and is made of cast-iron; near the base the Avails are thickened, so as to form, a shoulder, on which rests a wroughtiron diaphragm, and beneath which is

the powder chamber. The burstingcharge is contained in a tin ctip, which.

is coned at the top to facilitate unloading-. This cup is to guard against possible prematures from the roughness of the interior of the shell, and to prevent loss of powder. Into the diaphragm Is screwed a. pipe smoothed and lacquered inside; round this pipe is a thin wooden tube, which is introduced to fill up space and bring the shell to the 'proper length without unduly increasing the weight. The interior of the shell in lined with brown paper, arid contains 234 lead and antimony balls, the interstices between which are filled with melted resin, and over the top is placed a Hat washer. The head is of Bessemer steel, ! lined with wood, and attached to the ! body with, rivets. In the head is fixed a gun-metal socket for the fuse, the ■ flange of which projects over the head. | The upper part of the socket is tapped inside to the General Service Gauge, and the lower part to receive the i "primer." The holes for the extractor j are lined with tin to exclude, damp from the interior of the shell. The fuse fires the primer, which conveys the Hash down the pipe to | the bursting charge, the explosion of which blows off the head and liberi ates the balls.

Shrapnel shells are used exclusively against the personnel of the enemy, beyond the effective range of case shot, i.e., on land fronts, against troops in the open, and sometimes to search them out behind cover; on sea fronts, against men in boats, on or ■between decks, or in the rigging of ships.