390 
GARRISON ARTILLERY. 
There is in the opinion of the authors no doubt that the unexpected 
opening of fire upon the defenders from a greater or less number 
of batteries of the second artillery position—even for a short time— 
would produce no little disorder and loss amongst the defenders, 
because the latter should be at this moment engaged in completing 
their arming against the siege attack. 
In order to avoid all detrimental results of a surprise of this nature, 
the defenders must use their utmost efforts to discern the time when, 
as well as to discover the place where, the attacking force throws up 
his batteries at dismounting distance, in order to know how to oppose 
them. 
The time to Arm against a Siege Attack. 
In the “ Handbook for Officers of the Prussian Artillery ” (1877) the 
following principles are laid down respecting the position of guns for 
an artillery fight:— 
“ The moment of opening an effective fire from the garrison guns for 
the artillery fight, exercises a conclusive influence on the success of 
the whole defence. 
“ It follows then, that before the attacking force has succeeded in 
bringing the artillery of the first position into action, there is a 
possibility of so hindering the attackers, that the advantage of the 
initiative may be lost to them, and that the defence may obtain the 
superiority. 
“if, on the other hand, the attacking force succeeds at this important 
moment in surprising the defenders, and in securing the basis for the 
attack by opening fire with the artillery of the first position, the most 
extraordinary efforts will be necessary on the side of the defenders to 
prevent their being greatly hindered in their necessary defence prepara¬ 
tions.^ 
It is therefore obvious that the arming against the siege attack must 
be already completed before the batteries of the first artillery position 
(distant from 700 to 1400 metres from the works) open fire. 
While fully acknowledging the authority of the above-named work, 
the two Russian authors are unable to agree in the views expressed in 
the above quoted extract, because it appears to them that the power of 
the artillery of the attack is over-estimated, while that of the garrison 
is undervalued. 
The history of sieges shows that the batteries of the first artillery 
position are generally of the nature of bombarding batteries, which 
have not only the actual point of attack under fire, but also another 
salient, so that it is quite impossible for the besieged to find out the 
true front of the attack. 
Moreover, it appears that in the cases where the batteries of the first 
position have produced a decisive effect, the place invested was always 
