THE VALUE OP MOBILITY FOR FIELD ARTILLERY. 
453 
they had done that day was a performance of which any artillery might 
feel proud. 
And their labours were by no means over when they reached their 
latest position, for they had to sustain an obstinate struggle against 
seven French batteries and a superior force of infantry until darkness 
set in and the fight died out. Two of them had, however, again to 
utilise their mobility during this last fight, for one was called from the 
south of Poupry to the northern edge of the copses on the north of 
the village, and in doing so had to make a march of some two miles 
and a half, while another moved from the south to the immediate north 
of the village, and covered in two moves about a mile of ground. 
Mobility is the most marked characteristic of the performances of the 
German batteries, but in respect to another point in their handling on 
this day they are also to be commended. 
They were everywhere used in concentrated masses, and combined 
their fire on one target. Such a method of working batteries is now 
almost universally recognised as the only true one for artillery to adopt. 
Occasionally one hears a plausible suggestion put forward as to concen¬ 
trating fire, but dispersing batteries. On paper the idea appears to 
have much to recommend it, but in practice it is found to be a falla¬ 
cious one, because you cannot obtain unity of direction, in other words, 
concentration of fire, if it be adopted. For one man to direct the fire 
of five or six batteries, even if they be all formed up in line together, 
is an exceedingly difficult task, but if the mass be split up into several 
portions, the intervals between which are taken up by other troops, it 
is probably not an exaggeration to describe it as impossible. 
And we should note also that not only is concentration one of the 
essentials to the successful action of artillery, but that the concentra¬ 
tion of batteries should be accompanied also with their simultaneous 
and sudden appearance. 
Now, where large masses of guns are concerned, to effect a great 
concentration of guns in the last stages of the fight either to force a 
way for the assaulting columns after the Napoleonic fashion, or for 
some other purpose, means that batteries may possibly have to be with¬ 
drawn rapidly from another part of the field, and brought into action 
again against the point selected for attack. Formerly a reserve of 
artillery was held in hand for this purpose, but now-a-days when guns 
are endowed with immense range they all may be utilised from the 
first, and to keep any idle would be a waste of opportunity. Concen¬ 
tration in a modern battle may, therefore, largely depend on mobility. 
But a simultaneous and abrupt attack by artillery implies also great 
precision of movement, and precision means an unstrained effort. 
Batteries must, to use a sporting phrase, “ go well within themselves,” 
and respond readily to every call from him who guides them, turn to 
his hand as does the well-built vessel to her pilot, if they are to burst 
with any suddenness on the astonished foe. If it is by a great effort 
that batteries can reach a position they will either lose their chance by 
being too slow if they wait for one another, or will straggle up at inter¬ 
vals or even piecemeal by single guns, and in place of surprising their 
opponent may be themselves wiped out in detail. 
