296 
SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1898. 
the amount may become exceeded—over the great bulk of a whole 
army, there is sure to be a plentiful supply. 
Artillery expend more ammunition in proportion than infantry, as 
they come into action early, and remain in action until all is over, 
moreover nearly every gun is engaged, while whole battalions stand in 
reserve without firing a shot. It may therefore be safely said that the 
increase in artillery ammunition should be at least as great as the 
increase in infantry ammunition due to the same cause, viz., the 
introduction of a Q.F. arm. It must not be forgotten that part of the 
German artillery was short of ammunition for some time after the 
continuous fighting in August : some of the batteries being short for 
several weeks in spite of the strenous efforts of the columns. 
It is somewhat difficult owing to recent changes in equipment, and 
the somewhat inchoate condition of our ammunition columns and parks 
to ascertain exactly how many rounds our artillery at present are 
supposed to carry. But it is undoubtedly putting it very near the mark 
to assume that (supposing 12-pounder ammunition to be in question) we 
could, without any great alteration to the establishment of ammunition 
columns and parks at present understood to exist, carry with the army 
for each battery, the following number of rounds, viz. : with battery 
816, in ammunition columns, 450 (about*), and in park, 434. Total, 
1700 rounds per battery. 
It would appear therefore from the above reasoning that a Q.F. 
equipment necessitates the provision, and carrying in the field, of at 
least 3,500 rounds per battery. It further appears that about 1,000 
rounds is all that should be carried by the battery itself, leaving 2,500 
rounds per battery to be divided between the columns and park. 
It would seem desirable, for many reasons, to have as much as possible 
of this with the columns. In round numbers we might suggest 1,000 
rounds per battery with the columns, leaving 1,500 rounds in the park. 
This very formidable result brings us to the next disadvantage to an 
Army in the field, viz.:— 
2. The excessive Length on the Roads of the Ammunition Columns 
and Parks .—This is a serious drawback to a Q.F. equipment, 
especially when it is remembered that some batteries may very possibly 
be in need of the ammunition columns quite early in the fight, and these 
must therefore be well to the front. 
It is quite evident that a most radical change in the present arrange¬ 
ments is absolutely necessary, and the lumbering unwieldly ammunition 
column, dragging its slow length along the roads, must be supplemented 
by some light and mobile units, well officered, and capable of moving 
at good speed across country. 
The ammunition columns might then be organized as follows :— 
All existing columns be retained and organized as at present, but each 
Army Corps to have four additional flying columns, each consisting of 
22 carriages under command of a captain. 
The very interesting tables marked A to D in the appendix show 
exactly the effect on the Artillery impedimenta, taken as a whole, of 
the above indicated changes. Table A gives the length of road occupied 
by each nature of ammunition column as at present constituted (Field 
* Apparently each Divisional Ammunition Column carries 444 rounds per battery for 
the Divisional Artillery, while the Corps Column together with the Cav. Bde. Column 
462 for the Corps Artillery. 
