The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-01-27
RUSSIAN ARTILLERY
HAS FAILED SAYS
GERMAN EXPERT
Splendid in Defensive and
Siege Work But Not Suffice
iently Mobile and Poor At
Manuvering. Is Verdict.

associated press Correspondence
Cologne. Dec. 2a.-Huasian urtll-
lcry has proven an excellent arm In
defensive and position fighting. but
has totally failed In offensive and mo-
bile mancuvers, according to a Ger
man expert who gives his views ON
the subject in the most recent num-
bcr of the Mllitnir-W uchcnbiatt. The
same authority comedies. however.
that the efficiency 81 the Russinn ar
tillcry had been greatly Increased
since h Mnnchurian war. lie also
admits that In the German army
Russian artillery had been undor-
rated. and indicates that now all %
~ weak points are thoroughly I'M
derstood.
Tho Germans think 80 highly Of
the Russian artillery ammunition
that they are nt present modifying
some i.200 field pieces al the Spadu
arsenal 80 a. to suit them for "A large
store of captured ammunition which
could not be used with the present
German callber.
The caliber OF the German field gun
is two centimetors less thar hat 81
the Russian. and for this reason the
captured ammunition could not be
put To use Immediately. Their n
stored in the German arscnais a large
quantity Of shells for the former Ger
man field pieces. which had a caliber
about two centimcters greater than
the Russian guns which have been
captured. By widening the riflins
- the Russian pieces the obsolete
shells may now be used. Some goo
pieces taken by the Austro- Hungar
ians are being similarly adapted.
Auer pointing out that the Rus.
SLAMS have always hud a leaning TO-
wards defensive, the writer iH tho
Miutair-w ucheublatt gives "a NUM-
Der of instances In the present war
IN which this was demonstrated the
artillery positions had been selected
with the greatest care u every
possible effort had been made 90 pro-
tect the pieces and their crews ~
Ivangorod IL was impossible for IN"
IGermans To find the Russian batter
les without the most minute lnspec-
tion with aircraft.
AZ a rule the Russian emplnce-
mcnts were well screened with bushes
land where those were hard TO ind
with sod ana often potato rr'cns
iWhcrcVer possible the Russians
would seek the cover Of woods ond
trees, and often the batteries were
hidden IN villages ana the surround
ing gardens.
In placing their artillors the RUS
slams usually group the guns hoo hhli-
battrrica Of four. This permits cih-
cicnt fire control and gives the 90
~seryatiun officer a far greater value
than ne would have u directing the
Gre ~ single pieces.
Field rluascs which were iaken
from observation officers uua oih'tH'
as well as 70 mass of othet purely
technical evidence, convinced ih'
writer that the equipment of th'
Eusslan artillery reconnaissance D.
very iu|trIigeutly divided into small
sectors. each ~ which contained i'
Hess than IS points Cplaccs which th'
shol Q. supposed 10 s%tritc'.
During tho first weeks OF the WI
1.-The Russiaus increased the num''
lor their heavy field howitzofs. JOY.
leach army CORDS had three batt'r.e.
of four pieces each. Before ina
these heavy army field hoWttA"i'
were detailed with tho armies "a
larger Unit han tho army CORPSE
oach army having from three to row
batteries.
After rcclting "a number ~ persona
crpcrioncea which left n" doubt as u
> the efficiency uf The Russian ar''l'''
field Intelligence service and hrt con
J troll. tho of1ccr gives his view" "i w
. ,nh,e " the Russian artillery ~ "'
. ~f,nsiyo or mobile m~nneuVers
where unknown torrathh '",
r sudden developments require aul.
lorientation the Russian artillery p"
always failed completely says ".
I. writer. Tn all such cases ""'
, tcrlcs shoot wildly and ~llh""t
system by which h neld to be ''N"
. under fire was To be divided ~
could hardly believe that It was w
> same artillery Even the se,I'"S u
! ,ho pleccs appeared different .,
Usually the Russians have NV"
ltroubIe moving their guns u an
munnion wagons over the worst -
roads. and oven through swampS' az