SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1893 . 
375 
to cover an attack on the dockyard, &c., which they guard. During 
such a bombardment they may attempt to ascertain the position of or 
destroy mines, and prepare the way for passing forts, or they may rush 
torpedo boats through to destroy shipping in harbour, blow in dock 
gates, &c.” 
Whether the attack is of the nature of a reconnaissance or a deter¬ 
mined effort to destroy the defensive power of the fortress, and whether 
it is made by a small squadron or by an especially equipped fleet, the 
tactics pursued must in principle be the same, their application being 
modified to suit the circumstances. 
It seems convenient to discuss the tactics under the following heads : 
1. The ranges at which the bombardment will take place. 
2. The manoeuvring of the ships during the engagement. 
3. The formation of the attacking force. 
4. The most suitable time for an attack. 
1. The Ranges at which the Bombardment will tahe place. 
Admiral Sir A. Cooper-Key, G.C.B., has said : l 2 “ I hope no one will 
think that I am an advocate for timidly attacking forts by ships.” 
Colonel Lewis, R.E., writes : 3 “I have hardly ever heard a different 
opinion than that they (Naval Officers) would get as close as possible 
and pour in as heavy and rapid a fire as they could.” And reviewing 
the lessons of Alexandria : “ There is nothing in this action to disturb 
the opinion that ships attacking a properly built and manned fortress 
must fight at short ranges to obtain decisive results.” And again, “ It 
is only at short distances that the fire of a ship can be directed with 
sufficient precision to have any approach to certainty of striking the 
small area which is vulnerable in a barbette battery of the present 
day.” 
“The Inflexible 3 engaged Oom-el-Kabebe at a range of 3800 yards. 
Her practice is described on all hands as admirable. As the fort was 
only 80 feet above the sea, and was protected by a parapet 8 feet high, 
her shell struck with a descending angle, and had some searching 
power. As a result one S.B. Gun was disabled, and this gun was not 
in action, while the damage to the parapet could have been repaired in 
a short time. So much for the effect of slow fire from heavy guns at 
long range.” 
As before remarked, short ranges are necessary for the auxiliary 
armament to be of use. 
At Sebastopol, on 17th October, 1854, the main body of the Allied 
Fleets engaged, at ranges of from 1600 to 3000 yards. Three guns 
dismounted and 35 casualties were the result in the Quarantine Fort, 
mounting 58 guns en barbette , after a bombardment of some hours. 
Four two-deckers and one frigate quickly silenced Fort Constantine, 
with casemates, at ranges of from 800 to 1500 yards. 
1 Bombardment of the Forts of Alexandria ; Walford. It.U.S. Institution Journal. Vol. 
XXVII. 
2 Fortification for English Engineers ; Lewis. 
3 Ships versus Forts; Jackson. R.E. Occasional Papers, 1889. 
