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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OE 
(c) Employment. 
Conditions under which mountain guns can be employed. 
29. Eor mountain guns to be of real service, tbe first condition is that 
the gun should be transportable on mule-back without difficulty over every 
sort of ground in a mountainous country. After feasibility of transport, 
the second condition is its efficiency, or power; and, as the third, adequate 
equipment of ammunition. 
The dimensions, weights, the arrangements connected with facility of 
taking to pieces and putting together, of lading and unlading the 3-pr. 
mountain gun and carriage, have been settled after numerous experiments; 
as a result the system has attained the maximum of portability compatible 
with adequate efficiency. 
The load of 272 lbs., the average load for each mule, is not excessive 
even with mules of an inferior stamp. The gun, too, can be dragged a few 
hundred yards by its detachment without any great effort, as has been 
explained in par. 19. 
Batteries of this new materiel have been marched for experiment and 
before the enemy, and they have nowhere been brought to a stand-still; 
but the necessity of shafts for the transport of the gun on its carriage has 
been felt, and a decision by superior authority on this point is awaited. 
When portability is the first and most essential element in a piece 
of artillery, as is the case with the mountain gun, we can only expect 
from it an amount of power, as the second factor, compatible with the 
fulfilment of the first condition. Moreover, from the nature of mountain 
warfare, the power and range of a gun can only be brought to bear on an 
enemy within generally speaking very restricted limits. Erom the table 
we see that the common shell of the 3-pr. mountain gun fired at a low angle 
gives a great probability of a hit up to 850 yards, and a satisfactory proba¬ 
bility up to 2500 yards; that, high-angle fire of that projectile is efficient 
up to 1500 yards; that shrapnel fire up to 850 yards gives numerous hits, 
and up to 1250 yards a satisfactory number; that case shot is effective up 
to 250 yards. When we compare the above with the well-known trifling 
effect of the 12-pr. mountain smooth-bore howitzer formerly in use, we 
conclude that the introduction of the 3-pr. rifled mountain gun must be 
pronounced to be a step essentially increasing the efficiency of the arm in 
mountain warfare. 
As the equipment of ammunition of the 3-pr. rifled gun battery, a supply 
of 448 rounds per battery, according to all experience, is amply sufficient 
for the battery to keep up a continuous and oft-repeated fire; further it is 
to be recollected that the greater accuracy of the rifled gun involves a less 
expenditure of ammunition than with the smooth-bore. 
Selection of the object to be fired at; the nature of fire to be employed; 
the position of the gun ; correction of the laying. 
30. The selection of the object to be fired at depends on the intention 
of the engagement; that intention should therefore be communicated to the 
commander of the battery or should be sufficiently obvious from the circum¬ 
stances attending the engagement. 
