A NEW FIELD ARTILLERY GUN.

North Otago Times, 27 October 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

A NEW FIELD ARTILLERY GUN.

A correspondent writes to the "Times": Tho interest caused by the introduction of the new quick-firiug gun has prevented public attention being directed as much as it otherwise would have been to what, after all, is an almost equally important development in field ■ artillery. Keforenco is made to the rearmament of the battorics of heavy artillery, a branch of the service wliicli, up to. now, bus hardly boen ndoquntoly appreciated by the public. It will be roinembered that daring the war, in jtrdor to' copo with tho powerful far-rauginj guus of' tho enemy, batteries armed with ordnauce of heavy calibre had to be lustily improvised. The excellent work done by them drew attention to their great future possibilities, and at the termination of the war the question of their reteutiou as a permanent organisation wss tnkon in hand/ As the result of much deliberation, it was decided that a brigade of these batteries was to form a component part of au army corps, and as tho work of raising and working them had during the war fallen on the Royal Garrison Artillery, it was considered only, reasonable that to that branch of the service should be confided the future of this new departure. Duriug the last few yeare, six of these batteries have been in existence, armfid with the 4.7 in gun, and au excellent system of drill and tactics has b'e'en gradually evolved. It was soon discovered, however, that the Win gun was unsuited to tho work required, principally on account of its length and the form of its mounting, and the Question of designing a suitable gun bad to be taken in hand. As a result there is now being issued a 60-pounder >un which it i 9 hoped, will fill all retirements. Of its shooting qualities it s impossible yet to form a judgment; )ut it may be stated that its shell ceijjlia 15lb more than did that of its iredecessor, and 1 that its trajectory is lonsiderably flatter, The effectivo range nay be said to be 10,000 yards, though n cases of great necessity, by pinking he trail, a further 3000 might bo atained. A distinguishing feature is the ;reat mobility of tho gun and limber, his most desirable result being effected ij' the carriage being so constructed that rhen limbered Tip the body, with cradle nd gun, can be run back to a position rhich ensures an equitable .distribution f the load between the limber and cariage wheels. The team consists of eiu'ht ipreee, the normal pace of manoeuvre bong the walk, though in cases of necesity and on good roads a steady trot can ie maintained, It would be a pleasant tuty to be-able to add that the whole if the equipment of these fine guns waa if the same degree of excellence as the arriage and limber j but unfortunately, :he present all-pervading spirit ofeconimy has stopped in to prevent these bateries—an integral portion, be it recollectS, of any expeditionary force that .we may end abroad-being, in _ any way ready for ervice. 'For no provisiou .can be said to iave been made for the most necessary rork of supplying these guns with amaunition. True, a certain amount of rhat are known as ammunition and store raggons have been provided, but, as very one knows, these latter, which audi resemble greengrocers' carts, are, or many reasons, perfectly useless for he purpose required. It is well, thereore, that the public should kuow how, or the sake of a small economy, these latteries have been rendered unfit for he duties, to carry out which so much nonev has. been spent and so much rouble taken. As stated above, the ssue of these guns commenced some, ime ago, and at present the Ist Heavy irigade, attached to the Aldershot comnand, has been, supplied with them, and me is being issued to each of the Eateries composing the 2nd Brigade. The ormer proceed to Okehampton towards he end of August, aud their practice Here will be watched with the greatest nterest, and it may safely be said that E the results were to depend on the xertiona only of the men and .officers oncerned success would be assured, Unortunatoly, however, by another.'regret-able-incident on the part of'authority, eleseopic sights have not .yet been ssued, nor is much hope held out that hey will be before the time for practice i-rives. 'As in a gun of this power of anging the whole accuracy of the shootng may be 6aid to depend on the sight a question, tlie best results can-hardly io looked' for. •