The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-12-06
GERMANS QUICK TO
SEE ARTILLERY NEEDS

french 'front.' OCT. ~, (CorreSpoHo-
ence CT the Associated Press) The en-
tente armies have not been alone In
recognizing the greater value Of artil-
lery as compared with infantry In the
method of warfare in operation on all
the European fronts since the cessa-
ton of the war of movement at the end
of 1914.
A glance at the strength of the Ger
man field artillery branch at the OPEN
ing of hostilities shows that 1t then
consisted of GAP batteries. At present
it is COMPOSED of 1000 batteries at least.
AS the batteries now contain only four
pieces instead of six. as at the begin
ming of the war. the calculation of the
power of the artillery in the field must
be based on the number of guns rather
than that of batteries. Whereas in 1914
the German army possessed only 1882
field guns. it now disposes of 5000, If
the minimum figure Of 1000 batteries
with which it was furnished at the
end of 1916 is taken .sas the basis OF
calculation
These field artillery batteries are di-
vided into two kinds-those armed with
the 77-centimeter cannon (the 3-inch),
howitzers. The German 3-inch cannon
has been much improved and it's range
greatly increased since 1914.
AS to the German heavy artillery, the
increase in the number of pieces has
been even greater in proportion than
that of the field artillery. In peace
time the German empire has organized
"a regiments of heavy artillery. Each
regiment was composed Of two battal-
ions of four batteries and each bat
terry was armed with four guns, thus
totaling 1853 heavy guns.
AS soon as the army had been mo-
bilized in 1914. the German military
authorities established new heavy ar
tillery formations. Soon each artillery
regiment of the REGULAR army had at
tached to it reserve regiment consist
ing of four batteries of skilled gunners,
also battalion of four batteries Of
landwehr. or second reservists, and
finally a battalion of four batteries
formed from among the third reserv-
lists or landsturm. When the arsenals
and shell factories later had reached
a higher level of production Of guns
and ammunition. further batteries were
formed from among the men Of the
Ersatz reserve. Since the first year of
the war large numbers of the recruits
of the younger classes. which have been
called out for service. have been sent
to the artillery branch. BY the end of
1916 the number Of heavy batteries had
been multiplied more than five times
and in the course of 1917 further adj
ditionS have been made to the total
OF the German big guns, 25 per cent
are long range cannon and the remain
ing rs per cent howitzers. The most
numerous of their long range guns are
finch. 4R-inch. 5-inch and 6-inch, but
they possess also batteries of S.7-inch,
9.7-inch. 11-inch and 15-inch long range
guns. although these are very few in
number. Their howitzers are for the
most part of 6-inch caliber but besides
these they have in line batteries of IL
inch. 12-inch and 17-inch howitzers.
Germany had not developed any lik-
ing for mountain guns before this war,
but she has been forced to change her
views by the DEVELOPMENTS of the fight
ing in the Vosges for instance, and
now has 20 batteries of mountain guns.
six pieces of 3-inch caliber rapid fire
to battery. and also has formed sew
eral batteries of 4-inch mountain how
tiers.
Trench artillery as we'll has been q
DEVELOPMENT of this war; and the Ger
man army is now we'll provided with
weapons of various kinds for use in the
advanced lines. It's trench mortars
range in caliber from three inches to
10 inches. Finally the small trench can
non of 1k-inch. Pinch and 2h-inch cal
iber have become very numerous in all
sectors of the line.
The personnel of the gunnery branch
of the German army has become nearly
as great in numbers as that of the in
fantry.