Norwich bulletin., 1917-09-07
HOME-READING COURSE FOR CITIZEN SOLDIERS
 fssued eservsd)

There is always an element of luck in such unusual achievements. but all lhe luck in the world is useless un- less the soldier has develored his in ing his months of training
 The Cavalry.
 The Cavalry is armed with saber and pist.., as well as rife Since the early months of the present war there has been lkttie opportunity to use Cavalry on the western front. For the most. par: the Cavalry forces of European armies have been fighting Tn the trenches as Infantry.
 Under these conditions 1t has been determined to reorganize several of the Cavalry regiments of cur- Regu- lar Army as Field Artillery. United States Cavalry. as such, is not to be used in Europe at present: Some good judges believe mat rne Cavalry will again come into its own before the war is ended, but on this question no final opinion can now be given.
 The Coast Artillery. which handles the big-caliber guns guarding our chief ha-bors against naval attacks is a branch distinct from the Field Arr .i1lery, which handles the smaller guns 6rawn by horses or motors and moved about With the rest of the Army. The rresent field guns range in size. from 3-inch caliber to 4.7 inches. The Field Artillery also handles howitzers,
  the air so that at-thev will fall upon the target at very steep angle.
 The chief kinds of artillery ammu- nition are. shrapnel and high explo- sives. The shrapnel is irtens.ed to burst in the face of the enemy. The ligh explosives are Esed chiefly to low up enemy trenches.
 Increasing Importance of Artillery.
 The importance of srtil1efy has been very much increased during the pres ent war. It is the most effective of all weapons in preparing the way for attack. In advance of an attack on a large scale there are often several days of continuous artillery duel, dur ing which the big guns Of both sides erY to locate and put out of action the opposing guns In tact, On the west enh iron; the artillery duel never en- 'irely eeuses.
 The chief qualities of a good artil. leryman are intelligence and tenacity. can not only play his own part but, fl necessary, can take the place of any of his comrades. He mus. have tEe courage that enables him to hold any position assigned to him until the order is given to move.
 Simila' to the artillery in many re- spects gre the machine-cun troops. Machine guns shoot out a steady stream of bullets and have great value against an attack from the front They may also be readily carried forward by attacking troops and used with great effect against the defenders of a position.
 "A skfrmish line can not advance by walking or running when hostile ma chine guns have the correct range and are ready to fire. Mackine-gun fire is not especially effective against troops ly ing cn the ground or crawl ing. Wien opposed by machine gun, without artillery to destroy them in fantry iteef must silence them before 1t can advance. Concealment and pa tient waiting for critical moments and exceptional opportunities are the spe- cia1 ehara etc ristics of the machine gun service in decisive actions" (In- fantry Drill ReguEati ons, pars. 542. 545 546.)
 In handling machine gEns. just as in handling artillery, intelligence and tenacity are the qualities most need ed. There are numherless examples in the present war of coura geous self reliance on the part of individual sol diers in repairing or serving machine guns while under fire. and thus play ing big part in helping to win vic- tories.