The free state., 1900-01-20
NOVEL ARTILLERY PRACTICE.
Dueer Training and Queer Machine
Used by German Onicers at Jueterbog

| Dueer Training and Queer Machinery
Used by German Onicers at Jueterbog.
The recent maneuvers ct the Camp
de Chalons presented an opportunity
10 a considerable number of officers to
follow closer the progress of the
French artillery and to appreciate the
peerless qualities of the new guns.
The actual field practice executed un-
der their eyes by the batteries faclli-
tated observations which cannot fail
to be of advantage in the general train
ing.
But it is to be regretted that the
Camp Of Chalons is not supplied with
greater resources in the matter of the
establishment and mobilization of ma
chimes that serve as targets. In this
respect France is inferior to the other
powers which possess for their artillery
schools ingenious contrivances whose
utility cannot be questiond.
The German firing ground at Juter-
bog in the heart of Prussia, just sixty
kilometres from Pottsdam, leaves
nothing to be desired from this point
Of view, if we are to believe the de-
tailed account of it which has just
been published in the German militia.
ry papers. On the Polygon which
covers about one square mile there
are two establishments which work
the movable targets. The depot con-
tains an enormous quantity of panels
representing heads, busts, lines of in
Pfantry, batteries of artillery, regi-
ments of cavalry all fixed on trucks
that run on rails at varied rates of
speed.
By this means it is easy to present
the different phases of a battle. The
ground represents a village organized
for defence. In ambush behind the
walls and hedges are the infantry. On
the side of the village lines of batter
les are in position. But the sharpnel
and shells soon render the position of
the enemy untennable, and he resolves
upon counter attack. Detachments
of infantry emerge from the wood
and, taking advantage of the shelter
afforded by the lay of the ground, ap-
proach to within 1900 or even 1000
metres. Then suddenly lines of skir-
mishers appear.
The recoil of the pieces is limited
by using the spade and rope
| brs kes. Then the lines of the enc
my's infantry are swept by murder
Gus fire. During these phases OF the
action each battery fires from fifty to
sixty shots. The enemy unable to
stand against such fire, falls back.
Just then his cavalry comes up and
sacrifices itself in an effort to turn the
tide Of the battle. The horsemen
charge rapidly on one of the fanks Of
their adversaries. The horses and
men are represented by pieces of cloth
stiffened by wire and moved by steam,
The battery of the wing thus attacked
rapidly changes front and sends
masses of iron and lead into the'ene-
my's cavalry. The charge is repulsed,
The battle is won, and the enemy sends
flag of truce. The bearer of the
flag is also a manikin fixed upon
truck. Nothing rema ms but to ex-
anime the results of the fire. Scat
tered over the polygon there are ar
mor-plated posts of observation with
telephone connections with each 9TH
er and with the firing battery. All
these posts are occupied by officers
and non commissioned officers.
All the German artillery officers,
Bavarian, Saxon, Wurtemburgian and
Baden, are obliged to spend some time
at Jueterbog. There they learn the
fundamental principles of practical
instruction which they propagate af
terward in all the garrisons including
even the most distant. In France
there is no such establishment where
instruction in firing is carried on in
summer and in winter, in rain and
snow and always in conditions as
closely as possible to actual warfare.
But at Wallenstatt the Swiss army
has firing ground and training school
for infantry and artillery which is
model.