334 
COMMENDED ESSAY, 1898. 
Conclusion. 
But, if the battery ammunition is not increased, then steps must be 
taken to ensure the columns arriving in time. 
With a battery of field guns, if the column can commence to supply 
within 2-g hours of coming into action, it should be sufficient; and, as 
the length of a division marching on a single road is only about four 
miles, there should be no difficulty in doing this ; but, when it is con¬ 
sidered that the quick-firing battery may expend all its ammunition in 
25 minutes, within which time it must be able to receive supplies, if 
required, from the column, it becomes quite clear that the ammunition 
column can no longer march in rear of the division, but must follow 
the guns at a much smaller interval, even though by doing so it will 
hamper the other troops using the road. 
There is yet another difficulty in the matter of supply. It has been 
shown how that it may be quite possible for a quick-firing battery to get 
rid of the whole of the battery and a good portion of the column 
ammunition during a battle ; there would then only remain the 
ammunitio.n park for immediate supply, and the ammunition to be 
obtained from it could not arrive for some hours and would only refill 
the gun limbers. From this it would appear that unless the ammunition 
to be carried by each source of supply is largely increased, a General 
will not be able to count upon his Artillery for effective action in a big 
battle more often than the time necessary to bring up fresh supplies 
from the advanced depots. 
(3) The ammunition will be heavier (for the same shell power), more 
expensive, and more difficult to make up. 
One of the many advantages claimed for cordite when it was intro¬ 
duced for use in our field guns, was that the weight of the cartridge 
being reduced from 4 lbs. to about 1 lb. would enable so many more 
rounds to be carried without increasing the weight behind the teams ; 
if, however, a metal cartridge case is now introduced the weight of 
each round will again be increased, and, unless fewer rounds are carried 
or structural alterations made in the limbers and wagons, the load will 
be greater. This may seem a trifling matter, but, if the cartridge case 
only weighs 1 lb. it will mean a difference of nearly cwt. per 
subdivision, added, to which the metal cartridges will be more bulky 
and less easily packed ; but the extra room which they will occupy, 
would probably be compensated for by not having to carry any tubes. 
And lastly, if the cartridges are to be contained in metal cases instead 
of shalloon bags, it will be a much bigger business “ making them up,” 
to keep up the necessary supply ; if they are to be made up at the base 
the cases will occupy far more space for transport than at present, and 
if cases have to be made extra supplies will take longer to furnish from 
home. 
To sum up briefly then the advantages and disadvantages. It has 
been attempted in the preceding pages to show that, in the 
course of a battle, occasions arise during which an increased rapidity 
of Artillery fire would be of the greatest importance, such as for Horse 
Artillery during a Cavalry combat, in repelling or preparing an assault, 
and that as frequently the ground will not admit of more than a certain 
number of batteries concentrating their fire on the objective, the 
possession of a quick-firing gun will be most valuable. 
Also, that in war, irrespective of the actual pitched battle, there are 
times when a quick-firing gun might render most important service, as 
for example in advance and rear guard actions, the defence of defiles, etc. 
