ARTILLERY POSITIONS AND SCREENING GUNS. 
65 
portant requirements of a good position.” How can all the 
ground in front be seen if the muzzles are only just showing 
over the ridge ? ” 
The reasons generally given in favour of the reverse slope are the 
following :— 
(1) Concealment. 
(2) Cover for the gun detachments and those in rear. 
(3) Easy to limber up unseen by the enemy. 
(4) Wagons can be brought up unseen and under cover. 
(5) Guns are less easy to range on. Bursts “ over ” are hard to 
judge. 
Arguments in favour of reverse slope analysed. 
Supposed 
advantages 
of reverse 
slope. 
(1).— Concealment. 
Lord Wolseley in a memorandum on practice at Glenbeigh, dated 
16th August, 1891, says :— 
[See Annual report Horse and Field Artillery Practice, 1895 :—) 
i( The importance of preserving the horses of a battery from the effect 
of modern fire does not appear to receive the attention it 
deserves. 
The introduction of smokeless powder points to “ conceal¬ 
ment ” as the best method of protecting our batteries from 
losses both in men and horses. 
Where time and ground and the tactical requirements of the 
action permit, batteries could be brought into action under 
cover, and then placed in position by hand. Sudden effects of 
fire could then be produced without exposure of personnel or 
horses. Indirect laying could be employed against stationary 
targets, whilst, if the question of background is studied as it 
should be, the target presented to the enemy should be a very 
difficult one.” 
Lord 
Wolseley on 
‘the question 
of conceal¬ 
ment.’ 
In a Report of Military Society of Ireland, dated 1st April, 1896. 
Lord Roberts said— • Lord 
Roberts on 
“ In the first place let me say how glad I am to find an infantry ta( a t i :^ u ® t r [ ke 
officer taking such an intelligent interest in artillery and showing, as German 
Captain Pilcher has shown, that there is no mystery connected with manceuvres - 
artillery subjects which cannot be solved by any outsider who will take 
the trouble to master them. Captain Pilcher brought forward many 
important points which his recent visit to Germany has impressed upon 
him, and one of the most important, perhaps, is the one which he first 
mentioned, namely, the study of the ground. Now, during iny visit to 
Germany, I was at Stettin last September, -where I had the privilege 
of attending the annual manoeuvres, and I was as much struck as 
Captain Pilcher seems to have been at the attention paid to this 
important subject by artillery commanders, and by the intelligent 
9 
