The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-01-30
RUSSIAN ARTILLERY
PROVES EXCELLENT
IS POOR WHEN MOBILIZATION
ORDERS ARE ISSUED,
HOWEVER,.
(Bv Associated Press3

l y
has proven an excellent arm in de.
fensive and position fighting, but has
totally failed in offensive and mobile
manoeuvers, according to German
expert who gives his views on the
subject in the most recent number of
the Militair-Woch enblatt. The Same
authority comedies. however, that the
efficiency Of the Russian artillery had
been greatly increased since the Man
churian war. He, also admits that In
the German army Russian artillery
had been moderated. and indicates
that now all Of Its weak points are
thoroughly understood.
The Germans think so highly of the
Russian artillery ammunition that
they are at present modifying some
1,200 field pieces at the Spadu arsenal
so as to suit them for large store of
| SoPtui GU WulCu COulu uOI
be used with the present German cal
ibre.
The calibre of the German field gun
is two centimeters less than that of
the Russians and for this reason the
captured ammunition could not be put
to use Immediately. There is stored
in the German arsenals a large guam
tity of shells for the former German
field pieces, which had a callbre about
two centimeters greater than the Rus
sian guns which have been captured.
BY widening the rifing of the Rus
sian pieces the obsolete shells may
now be used. Some 700 pieces taken
by the Austro-H ungarians are being
similarly adopted.
After pointing out that the Russians
have always had leaning towards
the defensive, the writer in the Mill
tair- Wochenblatt gives a number of in
stances in the present war In which
this was demonstrated. The artillery
positions had been selected with the
greatest care and every possible effor.
had been made to protect the pieces
and their crews. At Ivangrow it was
impossible for the Germans to find the
Russian batteries without the most
|1minute inspectioniiw1th aircraftanzs
{. Z
AS a rule the Russisns smplace.
ments were well screeesd, w3alS bzshei
and where those wersl nard ITO ma.
with sod and often potato-greens.
Wherever possible the Russians would
seek the cover of woods and trees.
and often the batteries were hidden
in villages and the surrounding gar
dens.
In placing their artillery the Rus
slams usually group the guns in half
batteries of four. This permits eff
ficient fire control and gives the obser
walton officer far greater value than
he would have if directing the fire of
single pieces.
Fieldglasses which were taken from
observation officers and others, as
well as a mass of other purely techni
cal evidence, convinced the writer
that the equipment of the Russian ar
tillery reconnaissance is very intelli
gently divided into small sectors, each
of which contained no less than 4S
points (places which the shell is sup
posed to strike.)
During the first weeks of the war
the Russians increased the number
of their heavy field howitzers, until
each army corps had three batteries
of four pieces each. Before that these
heavy field howitzers were detailed
with the armies "a larger unit than
the army corps) each having from
three to four batteries.
After reciting a number Of personal
experiences which left no doubt as
to the efficiency of the Russian ar
tillery field intelligence service ana
nv SOheioi thC OihCCT gives HIS NltWS
of the value of the Russian artillery
in offensive or mobile manoeuvers.
Where unknown terrains and sud
den developments require quick orient
alton the Russian artillery has always
failed completely" says the writer
I'm all such cases the batteries shot
wildly and without a system by which
the field to be taken under fire was to
be divided. One could hardly believe
that it was the same artillery. Even
the serving of the pieces appeared
different"
Usually the Russians have little trou-
BILE moving their guns and smmuni-
ton wagons over the worst of roads,
and even through swamps, attests the
writer