388 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OE 
any bodies of troops or abattis visible. Fire at both low and high angles of common 
shell is that best calculated to destroy obstacles and to turn out troops from behind 
them. The ranges may vary very considerably according to the length and other 
conditions of the defile. 
In defence behind a defile one part of the guns should be placed behind the 
mouth of the defile, at a distance short of the most effective range, enfilading the 
length of the defile and commanding the ground in front of the mouth; so as to 
impede the debouchment of the enemy’s troops and guns, and to inflict on him the 
greatest possible loss at the moment of deployment and coming into action: the 
other part takes up a position to the flank and fire chiefly upon such of the enemy’s 
troops and guns as succeed in gaining a position to the side of the mouth of the 
defile. 
When a considerable part of the strength of the enemy has passed the defile, 
the defender may still turn the balance of the fight to his advantage by his 
superiority in numbers and by an energetic attack. The artillery should endeavour 
to shake the enemy by the liveliest fire against his front and flank and in conjunction 
with the infantry endeavour to drive him back into the defile; this, if successful, 
is always combined with very great loss to the enemy, and it may result in his total 
defeat. 
The assailant who has to pass through the defile should bring up guns with the 
first detachment of closely formed troops to the front of the exit of the defile. 
Their duty is to fire at and drive back the guns and troops of the enemy and thus 
to facilitate the sortie of our own troops. To engage the enemy’s artillery success¬ 
fully the assailant should support the guns in action by others in positions on the 
flank. 
In defending a height the artillery should in the first instance impede the enemy’s 
advance by its fire; to this end it should place itself at the edge of the height, it 
should fire on the lines of access to the front and more particularly on those points 
where the advance of the enemy is delayed by difficulties of ground. The fire 
should increase in rapidity with the approach of the enemy and should reach its 
maximum as the enemy ascends the height. Before he reaches the summit, the 
battery should be withdrawn to a position in rear, whence he is to be received 
with an energetic fire of case shot: this ought to suffice either to throw him back 
or at any rate throw him into disorder and delay him. The capability of defence 
in a height depends on several conditions; when the slope of the height is gentle 
and where there is a plateau at the top, both are in favour of the position and 
effect of the guns: on the other hand, when the slope is precipitous, or when it 
is covered with trees or thick brushwood, the position is difficult to hold. 
The attack of a height should be commenced by artillery firing on and endeavouring 
to silence such of the enemy’s guns as command the roads or paths giving access 
to the height. When the troops storm and when they have established themselves 
on the height, the guns should follow so as to co-operate in a further advance or 
in maintaining the ground taken. 
(5) The expenditure of ammunition should be regulated with constant reference 
to the momentary importance of the engagement and to the result to be attained \ 
firing at ranges beyond the most effective range should only be allowed under very 
favourable circumstances : these rules are more particularly applicable to mountain 
batteries, as a fresh supply of ammunition from the park in rear generally involves 
greater difficulties and loss of time with mountain than it does with field-batteries. 
