The National tribune., 1902-07-31
NEW WAR MATERIAL.
The Fire Effect of Modern Field Artillery.

The Russians have recently conducted
some experiments in the fire of field artil-
lery which are attracting considerable at
tention on account of the new methods
pursued and the remarkable results.
The method consisted in firing for
given time ut unknown distances at bat
terry target which was the exact counter
part Of the firing battery. and whatever
losses the target sustained the firing bat
terry was also made TO sustain. so that the
latter fired with reduced numbers, gradu-
ally diminishing as the firing proceeded.
For example. on one occasion n battery
Of six rapid-fire guns with 81 cannoneers,
fired in seven minutes IL percussion shells
and A shrapnels. obtaining at medium
ranges Co. per cent. of hits on the figures
representing cannoneerS, and, therefore,
lost 2} men itself so that it had to fire Mt
the end of the seven minutes with but
IA cannOneers in all.
Again, similar battery. with 43 can
noneers, also firing at medium ranges. but
only for 3I2 minutes. obtained with IL
shells and % shrapnels GA per cent. of
hits and, therefore, had but IA men left to
serve the guns at the end of that short
interval of time.
In comparing the firing of a battery
with that of company of infantry, SIM
liar method was used. and it was found
that at 200 PAGES the infantry company,
firing 452 rounds, obtained in 81. minutes
about IA per cent of hits, putting six can
nOneers out of action, while the battery.
firing in the same time 10 shells and 3S
shrapnels IA shots minuteb, obtained 81
per cent. of hits in the company: and at
800 PAGES. the company, firing $50 rounds,
obtained 30 per cent. of hits in the bat
terry, whereas the latter. firing at rate
of ID shots a minute. obtained % per cent.
of hits in the company.
The ranges used i'm the ease of the bat.
teries were about 1000 PAGES 1888 ';,3 yardsj.
and yet in two and a half minutes, or after
firing 60 shots, the battery was practically
out of action. 1t must be remembered
that the ranges were entirely unknown at
the opening of the fire.
These results indicate that modern field
artillery cannot come into position in the
open, but must make use Of the cover af-
forded by the ground and come up under
cover. Moreover, il would be an immense
advantage to come into position first,
hence the field artillery mnst march into
battle close up to the head of column, and
every other means is used to accomplish
the same purpose.
Battery commanders must not be inter
fered with during the artillery combat, for
they have all they can do to attend to the
firing Artillery field officers can only give
each battery its work TO do. and must for
the time being consider it as a card that
has been played.
The massing of artillery on the battle
field today amounts to courting annihila-
ton, and yet it is impossible to remedy
this evil, because, since the battle front of
a division is not over 200 yards, and the
field artillery of it requires in different
European armies from 1,200 to 1.550
yards, there is not much space left in
which to scatter the batteries, assigning Il
single target to all for desired effect. The
only remedy appears to be TO place the
artillery in two lines instead of one, which
is recommended by the tacticians. More
over. indirect fire must be extensively used
in future in order TO take full advantage of
cover in placing batteries and at the same
time utilizing all 3he available space to
the best advantage.
A large reserve of cannOneers Is neces-
sary to replace the enormous losses--as
much as five reliefs is recommended. Eff
forts are also constantly made to reduce
the number of cannoneers required in each
relief, modern sixgun rapid-hre battery
requiring today OH the firing line only six
officers and 30 men,