SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1898. 321 
size they are wonderfully powerful. (Krupp and the Maxim Nordenfelt 
Co. have both a 12^-jpr. mountain gun.) Such guns therefore 
are to be recommended, for their power, but not on any other account. 
III. Before closing this discussion mention must be made of one 
further use for the quick firer. Although taken last it is possibly the 
most important of all. We refer to its employment as a Horse 
Artillery gun. Provided the equipment admits of fire at once being 
turned on a new objective, and with Horse Artillery this is of especial 
importance, the Q.F. will in no capacity have greater opportunities 
of fulfilling its role. The very qualities demanded from the Horse 
Artillery are just those in which the Q.F. gun excels. The value of 
Horse Artillery depends upon its mobility and upon its rapidity of 
action. To obtain these some sacrifice in shell power is allowable. 
Therefore a gun firing lighter ammunition than is needed for Field 
Artillery will suffice, and such a quick firer it has been shown, already 
exists. At no stage of the fight therefore will the fire from the Horse 
Artillery Q.F. be less powerful than that of the Horse Artillery gun 
now in the service. It has also been shown that when the two systems 
are contrasted, calibre for calibre—the shell in each case being of the 
same weight—the advantage unquestionably rests with the quick firer. 
Therefore this gun is especially well adapted to the requirements of 
Horse Artillery. 
To particularize the advantages which the Horse Artillery quick 
firer may be expected to exhibit, it must be considered under the 
double aspect of its employment— 
(1) . With the Corps Artillery. 
(2) . With the Cavalry Division. 
If employed with the Corps Artillery its duties are very much those 
of Field Artillery, for although it still maintains its advantage of 
increased mobility, which may enable it to reach the battle-field sooner 
than the field batteries, yet the conduct of the fight will necessitate its 
conforming in a great measure to the procedure of the Field Artillery. 
What has been said as regards quick firing Field Artillery in battle, 
applies therefore equally to Horse Artillery Q.F. batteries belonging 
to the Corps Artillery. The same may also be said of the Horse 
Artillery of a Cavalry Division armed with quick firers, whenever it is 
not actually with the Cavalry, for when not so employed the experience 
of the past shows that it can best be utilized in the Artillery duel and 
subsequent stages of the fight.* But it is when Horse Artillery is 
acting with Cavalry that the advantages of the quick firer will stand 
out most prominently. 
It is an old maxim that the success of Cavalry depends upon its 
action being sudden, rapid, and opportune. These conditions apply 
equally to Horse Artillery acting with Cavalry. The mobility of the 
arm and the initiative of the commander provide for the first and third, 
while rapidity of fire is best ensured by employing Q.F. guns, which, 
from the conditions under which Cavalry fight, will be able to come 
into action at fairly close ranges, and may therefore be expected to fire 
not only with great rapidity but also with great effect. Should the 
* Prince Kraft, “ Letters on Artillery,” page 293. 
