582 
LECTURES FOR N.-C.O. AND MEN OF FIELD ARTILLERY. 
on ammunition used at Okehampton in “ Report for 1891.” Diagrams, 
drawings, &c. 
4thLecture. Effect of ground on fire.—In ranging ; effect on cone of dispersion of 
ground sloping to and from the battery; effect of ground on ricochet; 
protection afforded by a small bank ; Mercer’s Battery at Waterloo; 
Clery ; sweeping reverse slope with fire ; effect of raising trajectory of 
ranging shell before shrapnel fire is opened; loss of bullets if this is 
not done. Read Colonel Scott’s pamphlet; illustrate above remarks 
on blackboard, &c.; effect of flanking shrapnel on a field work and its 
effect when fire is frontal; when enfilade. 
Requirements of a good position.—Clear view to front over range; 
cover for teams if to be had ; level standings for guns, or slope so gentle 
that guns do not run back beyond recoil; guns not to be placed on 
impossible ridges and slopes at field days; false teaching; guns not to 
be placed on sky line on very high ground ; lower slopes and spurs 
preferable ; plunging fire when guns fire down from heights; Alma, 
Russian fire ; Koniggratz good position, Lipa ; presence of conspicuous 
objects to be avoided; stones in front; bog or marsh in front, in 
rear; slope in front, in rear ; good line of advance ; security of flanks ; 
obstacles on flanks; no position ever combines all these advantages ; 
make best use' of ground as it is; if a disadvantage can be avoided do 
so, but first consideration must be view of fire and effect ; then, 
secondly, cover. (Give local examples of good and bad positions.) 
Read Pratt, Baker, Clery, on this subject; also Hohenlohe and Yon 
Schell. 
5th Lecture. Introduction to Study of War. — Read Home, pages 2 and introduc¬ 
tion ; strategy and tactics; drill; discipline; difference between an 
army and a mob.—Home, Chap. I. ; Baker, pages 3 and 4. 
No rules for figRting; everything depends on ground and circum¬ 
stances. Method of artillery fighting in the days of smooth-bores ; 
necessity now-a-days for “ fire discipline;” definition of term ; how it 
arose; what it means; a battery should be a machine in the hands of 
C.O. Read Baker on “ Fire Discipline,” and his definition of it. Im¬ 
portant for C.O. only to observe fire, and not the Nos. 1, &c., &c.; 
importance of every other person doing exactly what he is told, and 
not as he thinks should be done. Read White, on <( Field Artillery 
Fire,” Chap. I., ec Fire Discipline.” 
6th Lecture. Composition of an English Brigade-Division and Army Corps.— 
Proportion of guns; cavalry and infantry; Corps Artillery and Divi¬ 
sional Artillery; number of rounds per gun in Divisional Artillery ; 
position of artillery on the march ; German Artillery in 1870 and 1866 
contrasted on march; results. Read Hohenlohe. Advancing into posi¬ 
tion ; formations; to pass obstacles; to move to a flank under fire. 
Hohenlohe. Method of bringing a battery and Brigade Division into 
action; reason for trying to open fire from first position so as to 
surprise enemy; artillery duel may last for hours; how fire discipline 
comes into play in coming into action; losses; loaded guns. Read 
White’s Lectures, Chap. I. and II., and extracts from German “ Regle- 
ment.” Preparatory position; if not to be had battery must advance 
rapidly into position and rely on fire discipline ; 8 or 10 minutes spent 
