THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
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questions were settled by the intrigues of courtiers, in 1736 j * 1 2 and they were 
finally introduced into the service in 1756 by order of the Marechal de 
Eig. 1. 
Belle-Isle, in spite of the opposition of all the officers of note in the French 
artillery, except M. du Brocard. 3 The attempt to merge into one such 
different services as the artillery and infantry, proved abortive. In the first 
place, to prevent these guns from impeding the movements of the infantry 
to whom they belonged, their weight was reduced to an extent which made 
their fire, under the most favourable circumstances, all but useless. 3 Secondly, 
as a matter of fact, they did seriously encumber their infantry. 4 For infantry 
compelled to drag guns along with them could not be expected to march, 
even on smooth and level plains, with the same order and rapidity as infantry 
who marched free from such a hindrance; and in a cultivated country, inter¬ 
sected with ditches, hedges, and walls, the guns had to be abandoned 
altogether. 5 In this latter case, they not only failed to fulfil the very object 
far as the fire of these guns is concerned, His Majesty’s position is unassailable; but taking into 
consideration not only their efficacy of fire but their mobility, I maintain that under the guidance 
of so great a military genius as Gustavus Adolphus, they proved themselves to be the most effective 
guns known up to his time. Eig. 1, taken from Eolard’s Polybius, shows a battalion gun. 
1 “ Ce fut alors que la cour prit en consideration les pieces dites a la Suedoise.”—“ Lettres d’un 
Officier du Corps Royal de l’Artillerie au Lieut.-Col. du Regiment D. . . ” Paris, 1774. p. 3. 
2 Ibid. p. 10. 
3 “ Tout l’effet (des pieces a la Suedoise) se reduit seulement a faire du bruit .”—“ Memoire et 
Observations sur l’Art. a cheval,” par T. Durtubie, Chef de Brig. d’Art. Paris, 1795, p. 12. 
4 “ Lettres d’un Officier du Corps Royal,” &c. Paris, 1774, p. 5. “ Notice sur l’emploi de 
l’Art.,” par Capt. Maze, in the a Etat Actuel de l’Art. de Campagne Anglaise,” par Lieut. G. 
Jacobi, p. 7. “Ces pieces mal servies et presque toujours placees dans des positions defavorables, 
furent en general plus nuisibles qu’utiles aux Regimens dont elles embarrassaient les mouvemens.” 
5 “ La meilleure infanterie etait designee pour garder Tartillerie, et aider a son service; mais 
ce service toujours tres penible, et d’ailleurs momentane, n’etait pas de nature a inspirer aux 
troupes beaucoup d’attachement pour le materiel qu’elles etaient chargees de defendre et de 
proteger. Aussi arrivait-il d’ordinaire que dans une bataille perdue toute l’artillerie restait au 
pouvoir du vainquer.”—Ibid. 
“ In der Schlacht bei Erefeldt waren die, auf dem rechten Elugel vorgeriickten Infanterie- 
Regimenter bei dem Korps des Erbprinzen von Braunschweig ohne Regiments-Geschutz, als sie 
von der iiberlegenen Kavallerie angegriflfen wurden ; es war zwischen den Graben, die sie vorher 
passirten, zuruckgeblieben.”— 1 Ueber Reitende Artillerie; was sie 1st, sein sollte, und sein konnte.” 
Lcipsig, 1818, p. 32. 
