[546] Drinkwater’s “Siege of Gibraltar,” 1786, p. 87. [547] “Die Bomben fielen so tief in den Sand, dass die Stücke niemand schaden konnten.” _Hannovranisches Journal_, as above. [548] Capt. Sayer’s “Hist. of Gibraltar,” 1862, p. 291. [549] Drinkwater, p. 89. The Hanoverian officer, speaking of the trial, says: “Versuch, welcher der Erwartung vollkommen entsprach.” Of the effect of the fire on the enemy he says: “ Die Brandröhren (waren) so genau bestimmt, dass die Bombe oft den Feind über den Köpfen crepirte ... und incommodirte den Feind unaufhörlich.” _Journal_, as before. [550] “Universal Military Dictionary,” by Capt. G. Smith, R.A., 1779, art. “Shell.” [551] Writing on 5th April 1813, Shrapnel said it was “nearly thirty years” since he began his experiments. “Synopsis of Reports and Experiments by the Ordnance Select Committee: Shrapnel Shell,” 1858. [552] “Ammunition,” by Capt. (afterwards Col. Sir V. D.) Majendie, R.A., 1867, i. 350 _ff._; “Memoirs of Sir J. Sinclair,” ii. 244. [553] Shrapnel’s shell failed at the first trial, 3rd June 1803—they were too thin. After the second trial, 29th June 1803, “about a dozen” were recommended to be supplied to ships for each carronade.—Ord. Sel. Committee, “Shrapnel Shell,” p. 2. [554] _Die Shrapnels: eine Erfindung des 16-ten Jahrhunderts_, in “_Archiv für die Officiere der K. Preuss. Artillerie, &c._,” Berlin, 1852, Band 32, p. 160. Toll does not allude to Shrapnel personally. He gives the text of Zimmerman’s MS., which I quote above. [555] One of Boillot’s mortar shell, which nobody has yet claimed to have been a Shrapnel, was of _minimum_ thickness, “afin qu’elle rompe plus facilement”—_Modelles, Artifices de feu, &c._, Chaumont, 1598, p. 163. [556] Some of Boillot’s mortar shell contained bullets, not only inside but outside, where they were stuck into some glutinous substance with which the shell was covered. Ib., p. 167. [557] Capt. May, R.A., reported that before reaching the Great Belt, 1807 (on the voyage to the siege of Copenhagen), Shrapnel’s own fuzes were found to be so affected by the damp as to be unserviceable, and that others had to be improvised.—Ord. Sel. Com., “Shrapnel Shell,” for 19th June 1809. [558] “Ehe die Zünder nicht zu der Vollkommenheit gekommen waren, genau tempirt werden zu konnen, was erst gegen das Ende des vorigen (18-ten) Jahrhunderts eintrat, konnte uberhaupt von der Erreichung einer Wirkung, wie sie Shrapnel vor Augen hatte, gar nicht die Rede sein; und es ist das unstreitbare Verdienst Shrapnels, dass er die Vervollkommung der Zünder zur Erreichung bis dahin nicht gekannter Kartätschwirkung benuzte.”—“Notiz über die Geschichte der Shrapnells,” by Hauptmann Meyer, in _Archiv für d. Offic. d. K. Preuss. Art._, _&c._, 5 Band, zwieter Heft, p. 157. [559] Given further on.