Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-09-29
Rounds in Action.

"The exact moment at which the in
fantry fire of the defense should COM
mcnce has bcen,' observes Major Dyke,
1.-THE subject OF some discussion" 30
gusawski says: "The French sought to
overwhelm the enemy with fire ut long
ranges. The German infant
ry when on the defensive did not open
fire till the enemy was within 800 or 400
PAGES. Our habit of allowing
the enemy to approach much nearer and
of then commencing fire never failed to
produce awonderful effect" This was q
repetition of our old tactics in the Penin-
sula, when perhaps no more than a
couple of shots could be fired before the
enemy had closed in. But things are
very different now, and we may in a
large degree ascribe the German meth
cd of reserving fire to the fact of the
then infcriority of their rifle at the long
er ranges. Major Dyke puts it well
when he says: "lf the defending infant
ry is not steady" 0hat is. able TO deliv-
er disciplined iire) "when the enemy is
yet at a distance, they are hardly likely
to be SO when he is comparatively
near" "Hence on the defensive" says
Colonel Clery. "a well-regulated fire
should be brought into play at the long
est range at which it will be effective"
The writer furnishes some interesting
statistics with regard to the expenditure
of rifle ammunition during recent wars.
1t has been perhaps too hastily assumed
that because the Turks managed to
blaze away sometimes at the rate of
from 200 to 800 rounds per battle in cer-
tain battalions, and because in the
future we are likely to see good deal
of unaimed far-ranging fire, that the
supply carried by our infantry in the
field is altogether below what would be
required. Every soldier carries on his
person 20 rounds, and each battalion is
closely followed by three carts Ito be
replaced soon. lot us hope. by pack ami
mals) carrying about So rounds per man
more. On the reasonable supposition
that in our service unaimed vertical fire
will not be allowed to degenerate into
indiscriminate individual firing, the
soldier is sufficiently provided. In no
engagement during the war of 1866 did
any Prussian soldier expend the ammu-
milton on his person. (60 rounds). THE
'oe"i SAPShoieuiO pJ ehS AOui uooioh
armies In that war gives an average of
only rounds per man. The highest
recorded in the German army during
one day in the war of 1870 was at Vi
vicrs, where one regiment expended IL
rounds per man." Tho French were
more prodigal in their expenditures, yet
in the fierce fight of Rezonville one d.
vision Of the guard hotly engaged only
fired 20 rounds per man. "At the bat
tie of Kendakhar, Sir F. Roberts army
averaged 5 rounds per man. During
the defense of Rorke's Drift, which
lasted l3 hours. 5000 rounds were fired,
giving an average of 80 rounds per man,
and Is rounds fired for every Zulu
killed" When we hear so much said
about the enormous expenditure of am
munition with breech- loading rifles. 1t
is curious to find that that of artillery is
so very much greater. One Prussian
battery at Sedan fired 126 rounds per
gun. At Vionville the Prussian artil-
lery engaged fired an average of SO
rounds per gun, while one horse artil-
lery battery fired 1874 rounds per guR.-
Saturday keriev.