THE EQUIPMENT OF FIELD ARTILLERY. 
569 
by volunteering. We think this increase of 46 pieces quite justified 
by the late great development of field fortification and infantry fire. 
53. Range-finders have been discredited by injudicious praise, and 
though a most useful and necessary part of a battery's equipment they 
are not at all times in their place. When ranges are short and fire 
hot and rapid they are of no good, but it is obvious how, by their use, 
a battery in position, awaiting the approach of the enemy, could ascer¬ 
tain and note the range of all landmarks in its front, and all the likely 
artillery positions available for him, so that effective fire could be 
opened upon him as soon as he appeared. A range party sent on in 
front of a battery, creeping up to the attack of a position, might also, 
possibly, ascertain unobserved the distances of various points in the 
defensive line, so that the moment a battery unlimbered it could open 
a useful fire, whereas, if the rough and ready way of picking out the 
range by the burst of a percussion shell were resorted to, a fire at a 
known range would be immediately returned by the defenders' guns, and 
the attacking battery would probably suffer severely before it was able 
to effectively reply ; other occasions will, no doubt, suggest themselves 
where a range-finder would be useful; therefore, though the Germans 
are said to have declared against them, let them by all means form part 
of our equipment. In an instrument of this kind it seems that extreme 
ramdity is not such a desirable thing as extreme accuracy , as the occasions 
where it can be practically used will admit of a certain amount of 
deliberation, and, as the distances it will have to determine will generally 
be long, it should, of course, be telescopic. 
54. Though a separate equipment per battery would hardly be 
necessary on service, still, for instruction purposes, for the production 
of a number of trained men, and till a corps of Mounted Army Signal¬ 
lers is definitely adopted in the service, it is desirable that a signalling 
equipment should be issued to each battery. This should consist of a 
double set of flags and a couple of heliographs; used on service in 
connection with large scale maps, to be prepared and issued by the 
Intelligence Department, these would greatly develop the power of 
the guns. The position of troops, invisible from the battery, could be 
signalled and indicated on the map, and when fire was opened its 
effect could, in like manner, be communicated to the guns. Such a 
mode of procedure might be useful in the attack of a position. The 
strength of a battery should be increased by a few mounted men who 
should be trained as scouts, acting as those of a cavalry regiment do ) 
they would also be available as signallers and range-finders. 
55. In the new jointed steel 7-pr., we may congratulate ourselves 
upon having got the best mountain gun in the world: it has a high 
initial velocity, it is capable of firing a heavy charge, and it has already 
a good service reputation. It appears, however, that its carriage might 
be improved, as wheels do not appear to be of much use in a mountain 
carriage.* The gun and carriage, moreover, require five mules for 
transport. Good as this gun is, therefore, it is possible that there is 
Range 
finders. 
Signalling 
equipment. 
Mountain 
equipment. 
Vide Austrian Mountain Artillery.” E. A. I. Papers, Vol. XI., No. 1, p. 31. 
