1 340 HISTORY OF THE SPXHS.
2 batteries coming into action; the line coming up,
3 the artillery were advanced 300 yards, and the
4 reserve troops of horse artillery brought up into
5 action. A further advance brought. the whole
6 close to the enemy’s entrenchments,. where the
7 fire was continued until the line passed on, when,
8 in attempting to follow, a mine was sprung in the
9 midst of the 6-pounder and 9-pounder batteries,
10 which caused a fall-back to watch for required
11 support. After-enquiries, from the Sikhs them-
12 selves, shew that on all occasions the ricochet fire
13 of our light artillery, and the shell of the heavies,
14 were felt by the enemy to be as destructive as we
15 felt theirs to be to ourselves.”
16 The chief object of this writer appears to be, to
17 correct some statements made by Sir Howard
18 Douglas ;: and his letter proceeds, “ It may not be
19 amiss to acquaint Sir Howard Douglas that our
20 9-pounder makes certain practice up to 800 yards,
21 and that our 6-pounder only commences to be
22 soiled at 500 yards. * * * * Our experimental
23 practice tables will show Sir H. Douglas, that with
24 1lb. 80z. charge, and two degrees elevation per
25 quad., our 6-pounder will give a first graze at 900,
26 and ricochet to the extreme distance of 2,100
27 yards.” From these details, the writer concludes
28 that much weight is not to be attached to the
29 opinions entertained and promulgated by military
30 authorities, both in England and India, regarding
31 thn nant wendueed be thea PBettich arvtillarwy at