441 
THE 
YALUE OF MOBILITY FOR FIELD 
ARTILLERY. 
Precis of a Lecture delivered at Shoeburyness, May 2nd , 1893. 1 
BY 
MAJOR E. S. MAY, R.A. 
Published by Order of the D.-A.-G., R.A. 
The Value of Mobility Illustrated by Experiences from the 
Battle-field. 
Colonel Richardson and Gentlemen, 
To speak of the value of mobility, which is a qualification so vitally 
connected with tactical excellence, may appear superfluous when every 
week brings out a new manual of tactics, and every six months an 
examination paper. I believe, however, a few words on the subject 
will not be wholly redundant, because we live not only in an age much 
given to study, but distinguished for inventive genius also. Every 
impulse which science gives to manufacture improves the material 
means of destruction, and as fire-arms become more perfect, there is a 
tendency for men to dwell rather on what may be done with them 
when they are actually locked in combat, than on the manoeuvres 
which bring about their judicious application. Musketry and gunnery 
being exact sciences, are, therefore, to the majority of minds more 
attractive than tactics, and there is sometimes a coldness where there 
should be sympathy between two schools of thought. The effect of fire 
can be measured on a target, while that of a charge or rapid march 
requires actual hostilities to give illustration of its value. We have 
target practice with us every day, but war experiences come but at 
wide intervals of time, or to some perhaps never, and so we lack object 
lessons to guide us in one direction. 
It is a curious thing, however, that as cavalry the most mobile arm, 
lost in importance as musketry improved, and sacrificed also its dash 
to the improved art of shooting, it was in mobility that artillery made 
way under the new conditions. The matter came about in this way. 
Seeing the benefit which infantry derived from fire action, cavalry in 
1 This lecture was delivered extemporarily. 
8. VOL. xx. 
