84 
ARTILLERY POSITIONS AND SCREENING GUNS. 
taken up on a crest line. I think that it very often happens that you 
can get your screen by simply taking up position a little back from the 
crest, especially in some of our chalk country. If you have a tolerably 
good background, by simply withdrawing from the crest, you will very 
often get a screen from many of the positions from which you could be 
attacked.” 
Captain Guinness —“ I have known a Major in command of a battery 
of artillery who ordered his men to cut down branches and put them 
in front as a screen.” 
Colonel Maurice- —“Quite so, a very useful thing indeed. Apropos 
to what was said, I think, by Captain Guinness, I doubt whether it is 
possible to give definite orders beforehand as to the exact position on 
a slope on which you ought to place your guns. I do not propose now 
to give an opinion one way or another about the several positions to 
which I have alluded as to which is normally the best. I think it is a 
question on which the right course can only be taught by experience, 
actual training under various conditions, and on varied ground. If 
all the circumstances could be known, it might be possible to lay down 
beforehand which would be the most effective position ; but it is 
different when the circumstances are not determined beforehand. 
Then each must act according to his own judgment on the ground. 
The circumstances will sometimes make one position best, sometimes 
another. For instance, in that case of the Prussians at Worth, it 
seems to me clear that they came down the slope, not for the sake of 
coming down the slope in obedience to general instructions on that 
head, but because they wanted to get an opportunity to fire. As you 
say yourself, the vital thing is to get an opportunity to hit your enemy 
rather than to find protection for yourself by any other means. But 
then it seems to me that, in considering afterwards whether the position 
taken up was the best possible or not, you want to take into account 
all those circumstances of the effect of pitching and grazing fire, 
trajectory, sky-line and the like, of which I have spoken. For those I 
hardly see how we can get any adequate substitute for the recorded 
experience of war.” 
Lord Wolseley —“One of the officers who spoke in this discussion 
has laid very great stress upon the importance of keeping out of sight, 
as well as finding protection for your guns. It is a very important 
thing to keep guns out of sight, especially in these days of smokeless 
powder. The next best thing to actual protection of your guns is 
to keep them out of the enemy's view—if you can do so. In these 
days of smokeless powder you can open fire on the enemy at 2£00 
yards, whilst your guns, horses, wagons, limbers and men are screened 
from view. And although the enemy may find out where you are, he 
will have but a small target to fire at. If you are in the neighbour¬ 
hood of trees, or only a hedge, and by using this means are enabled 
to screen your position, you will obtain for yourself a great advantage 
and an immense superiority over your enemy.” 
