42 
ACTION COMMAND OF A SIEGE DIVISION. 
Nature of 
Profectiles, 
Number oi 
rounds in 
24 honrs. 
the fire should bo comparatively rapid, so to obtain an effective fire on 
the enemy before he can so reply to yours, once the range has been 
obtained and the fire is to be continuous, its rate should be diminished 
both to economise ammunition and to save the men. 
Allowing 100 rounds per gun as the normal supply for 24 hours we 
get a total of 400 rounds to be fired by each battery in that time; 
again, supposing that the rate of fire is to be one round in every three 
minutes by day and that this rate is to be double that maintained at 
night, he should get for 12 hours day at 20 rounds per hour, 240 
rounds for night. Twelve hours at 10 rounds per hour = 120, or a 
total in 24 hours of 360 rounds, a number which would keep us com¬ 
fortably within the limits of the daily ammunition supply, and yet 
which should be sufficient to allow of an effective and well sustained 
fire being kept up. 
( b .) In selecting the nature of projectile to be employed, the 
Lieut.-ColoneTs choice would be very limited, it lies, in fact, between 
the use of common-powder shell, and high-explosive shell, any other 
kind of shell is practically not worth firing from howitzers. The 
actual choice must present a question of some difficulty to the Lieut.- 
Colonel, for, in the first place, the supply of H.E. may be very small, 
in which case, of course, their use must be very limited; in the second 
place, he must take into consideration the nature of the target (as far 
as he knows it) and the effect that it is sought to produce. Experi¬ 
ments so far have shown that the full effect can only be obtained from 
H.E. shells by using delay fuzes, these are most difficult to observe 
accurately owing to the uncertain length of time from impact until the 
burst is observed and, therefore, for ranging D.A. fuzes are recom¬ 
mended, but this means that even good shell in the ranging rounds 
will probably be less effective than equally good powder shell and, 
therefore, less effect may be obtained at this stage with H.E. than by 
using C.S. When it is necessary to get down the fire of an enemy, 
who has established his fire, as quickly as possible, this may become 
an important consideration. On the whole, the safest rule would seem 
to be, in most cases, especially when in doubt, use C.S. (powder). 
f (c.) The issuing of orders as to the actual number of rounds to be 
fired in the 24 hours may seem to be superfluous after the rate of fire 
has been ordered, but consideration will show that it is necessary both to 
check the expenditure of ammunition and to admit of a proper supply 
being kept up in the magazines and depots. For although the average 
rate may be laid down, it must be remembered that, when ranging, the 
B.C. will have to fire comparatively rapidly, he may have to range on 
more than one target during this period and, while so-doing, he is 
certain to exceed the average rate of fire ordered; if, when he drops 
down to the ordered rate, he continues firing, regardless of the total 
number of rounds fired, he may exceed his allowance and thus be 
without sufficient ammunition for the next 24 hours when, perhaps, 
more important work has to be done. The total amount of ammunition 
to be fired in one day should, therefore, be ordered by the Lieut.- 
Colonel for each battery of his Division and. it is to see that this 
