The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-26
USE OF MOUNTAIN BATTERIES.
Franco ana Italy Employ Them on the
Frontier ia the Alps.

France ana ItnlJ Employ Them ON the
Frontier in the Alps.
The mission of n mountain battery Is to seek
out and destroy, at close range and piecemeal,
an enemy whose forte is a protracted and UNI
censing system OF guerrilla warfare that is cx.
tremely harassing and discouraginR to troops
accustomed to a " fair field and no favor" even
though they be seasoned and well-tciOd vet
Grams. In British India this type of artillery
has been brought to q high standard of p%crfcc-
ton, and its effectiveness in the continually re-
curing conflicts with the hill tribes has demon
strated that the mountain gun is the only
weapon that can successfully cope with the
guerrilla style OF warfare practiced by the
natives of the Himalayas.
1t is but little known to the outside world
that both France and Italy have adopted tho
mountain battery AS an integral part OF the
home defences. When, in 1887. it became GER
tain that Italy had Joined the Triple Alliance.
the then Minister Of War in France determined
that something must be done to defend the
Alpine boundary from even the possibility OF
invasion in the event Of hostillties BY the new
coalition. For that purpose he organized a per.
feet system of mountain artillery on the model
of the British Indian force. and manned it with
specially selected mountaineers. Italy, In turn.
wns compelled to provide II similar corps for tho
defence OF her side Of the range, and soon tho
two regiments, hCgotten in haste, began to
fratCrniZc and banquet one another. The same
amiCable relations have existed ever since, and
the batteries have established II friendly rivalry
that Rnimates both parade aud carOushl.
The United States Army for the first timo
made use of this arm In active warfare in tho
Mexican war o! lSi5-4S. The light and pOrta-
bic nature of the guns made them extremely
valuable in the irregular skirmishcs that took
place, but their most important use was found
in clearing the streets from n point of vantage
ON the roofs OF the lat.tOpped houses OF the City
of Mexico. The ease with which the guns
could he carried or slung to the roofs rendered
them invaluable in rcpclling the street attack,
which were of daily occurrence after Gen. Scott
and his heroes had taken the capital.
The guns of the AslOr battery are very differ
Cnt from the smOOt hbOre mnELic leaders of the
Mexican war. In iaCt they are In advance of
the armament of the most perfect mountain
batteries that India boasts to-day. The stan
dard type that has done such goodwork against
the Afridis and their SGHg0rS, or stone wall in
trenChmrnts, is ~ ritled Misunderstanding piece OF
ordnance, the barrel and breech sections of
which are separate and screw together just be.
hind tho trunnions. As will he seen, this weapon
is rather out Of date. the improvements which
have been made during the last twenty years
along the entire line of artillery not seeming
20 have affected or reached the lonely depOts OF
tho Himalayas. The guns of the Aston battery
are wholly different. They are ROtchkiss rapid
fire guns of special construction and remarkable
rapidly of fire. issued TO the company OF vOlun.
tcers through the patriotic generosity of Col.
AstOr.