Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1917-09-14
u. S. CUNNERS
MANIPULATE
ARTILLERY IN
FRENCH CAMP
American Artillerymen Play
War With Heavy Guns and
Ample Ammunition. Men
Learning Last of War Tac-
tics.
CBy Review Leased Wire)

FRANCE. Wednesday, Sept. 13 (By
the Associated Press). - American
guns are booming in France. booming
under the eyes of observation balloons
with airplanes TO trace each singing
shrapnel shell, each missile of high
explosive destructiveness. Thus far
the guns have not been turned against
the enemy. but there is every likeli-
hood that the artillery will be at the
front. for it is planned to complete
the intensive training of the gun1frs
actual battle conditions, under the fre
OF German guns and with their own
weapons directed against occupied
German trenches on the various posi-
tons behind the enemy lines.
Plans Unknown
While the plans OF the American
commanders are unknown, it would
seem logical from a military stand
point that after the American artil-
lery has completed weeks of training
at the front in laison with the French
infantry and supporting guns, the
greater part of it would be withi
drawn for maneuvers with the grad
ualy multiplying American infantry.
Training Arrangements
The cooperation of artillery and
infantry is so close under modern bat
tie tactics that it is essential they
should be trained to act together al
iuC
first contingent of American infantry
will devote itself largely through the
fall and winter to training other units
as they arrive, so the first contingent
of artillery will train the batteries,
regiments and brigades which will be
thrown into France before the spring
campaign of 1918 is likely to begin.
French Cease Instruction
Theer are no longer any French Of
ficers or poilus actually serving at
the guns, the crews having been
Americanized throughout. At the OBJ
servation posts and in the schools of
instruction French officers sit now
only in an advisory capacity.
Have Kept Up
Through various reports received
from trained officers, attaches and
other confidential sources during the
last three years, the American artii-
lery officers of the regular army have
been enabled to keep in fairly close
touch with all the gunnery develop
ment in the world war-sufficiently
close, in any events, to change many
of their older practices within the
last twelve months, while at the same
time keeping them abreast the more
modern theories of the artillery
school. What the American artillery
has now and should have had before
is plenty of shells.
Plenty of Shells
1t is easily conceived what this
means to the enthusiastic officers and
men whose batteries are expending
within two or three weeks ten times
the number of shells formerly allotted
to them for an entire year.
Maze of Detail
Modern artillery training is a maze
of details. a labyrinth of mathemat-
ical problems, a never-ending series
Intricate puzzles, in which such
elusive and subtle subjects as orien-
tation. triangulation. DETECTION. DRIFT,
elevation, celebration, meteorology,
range-fnding and a dozen other
branches of optics and geometry and
the general application of the concen-
trated powers of destruction are in
volved. :
In beginning the fulfllment of its
contract with the Washington gov
ernment the French government has
supplied the American artillery units
with the latest output.
75-Milimeter Field Piece
With the latest output of the seven
ty-fives. which it is generally conced-
ed is the finest light field piece the
world has even known. 1t corresponds
with and takes the place of the old
three-inch gun in the American army.
The French have also supplied the
Americans with six-inch howitzers-I
gun of great power and accuracy
which corresponds to the noted Ger
man SO, probably the most effective
weapon in the entire German gun
list.
Americans Quick
The Americans have been quick to
master the details of the French
Continued on Page Two)