THE ROYAL ARTILLERY ‘INSTITUTION. 
473 
kept together as much as possible. The battery is the smallest artillery 
unit, and its subdivision is always to be deprecated. 1 2 
The nature of the batteries of the guard has been considerably discussed. Constitution 
Should they be composed of heavy or light artillery, or a mixture of the ° a ene * 
two? 3 The advanced guard artillery has often to seize with rapidity a 
favourable and often exposed position. To move rapidly, mobility is spe¬ 
cially requisite; to maintain successfully an exposed position, the most 
effective gun against troops is advantageous. Tiring against troops, the 
effect is proportional, to a great extent, to the number of projectiles fired. 
The lighter gun can carry and expend the greatest number of shell, and it 
is therefore a mistake to employ a heavier calibre than is sufficiently effective. 
In the attack of villages, earthworks, and obstacles of any kind, the heavier 
gun has, of course, the advantage. “In any case, the artillery of the 
advanced guard has to come into action first, and has to remain there the 
longest ;” 3 the light battery is therefore generally preferable, as possessing 
the most ammunition. The disadvantages entailed by the employment of 
two calibres of field guns outweigh the advantages. Neglecting the purely 
artillery details, it will be difficult generally to foresee the cases where each 
gun will be employed to the best advantage. The possession of one calibre 
at any period when the other would be preferable, has a decidedly bad moral 
effect on troops, who ought to feel a thorough confidence in their own 
artillery. 4 It is advisable, then, to use light field batteries, as a rule, for the 
advanced guard, employing heavy ones, when available, only under excep¬ 
tional circumstances. Take, for instance, the case of the 4th Bavarian 
Division the day 5 the Crown Princess army crossed the frontier, in the last 
war. Its orders were to endeavour to gain possession of the semi-fortified 
town of Weissemburg. A heavy battery was, in consequence, very properly 
sent with its advanced guard, while two days later in its advance on 
Proeschwiller a light battery was substituted. 
It will happen sometimes that an advanced guard is strong in cavalry. 
In this case, it is advisable to have one horse artillery battery attached to it. 6 
It will be interesting to study one or two instances of the march of Experience 
advanced guards in the last war, noticing the force and position of the £. e last 
artillery. Take as an example the march of the 5th German Army Corps 
across the French frontier, on the 4th August, 1870. 7 This corps was march¬ 
ing by a single road towards the river Lauter, which separates France from 
the Bhenish Palatinate. The duty entrusted to the advanced guard was to 
precede the corps to within about a mile of the frontier, then to divide into 
1 “ II faut eviter de former des detaehements d’artillerie en sections ou demi-batteries ee serait la, 
en these generale, meconnaitre les proprietes tactiques de cette arme.”—Taubert. 
2 Represented in our service by the 16-pr. and 9-pr. M.L. rifled guns. 
3 “ Studies in Troop Leading,” Verdy du Vernois. 
4 The Prussians are well aware of the disadvantages of two calibres. In their new equipment, 
now in course of construction, there are only two calibres recognised—one of 8'8 centimetres for 
field guns, and one of 7*85 centimetres for horse artillery. For an able argument in favor of 
unity of calibre, see the “Revue Militaire Suisse” of January, 1874 
5 4th August, 1870. 
G During the last war, there was constantly a difficulty in getting the German heavy field batteries 
to the front. If it is considered that these guns are only v,- cwt. heavier in draught than our 9-pr., 
it is evident that any argument against having heavy calibres in the advanced guard applies with 
additional force when the weight of the 16-pr. M.L. is in question. 
7 Official account. 
