DIRECT AND INDIRECT FIRE. 
239 
To the lay mind the solution of the cover question seems quite Objections 
simple. “ You will, of course, train your men in peace to do without Yifect 
cover. In war time they will find it soon enough of their own accord.” 
Were the operation of posting guns behind cover as simple as it 
sounds, this reply would be quite satisfactory, but as the art of select¬ 
ing suitable covered positions and quickly placing batteries in them, 
requires great experience and the science of successful gunnery from 
behind cover much practice, the solution is, we hold, anything but 
satisfactory. 
We are not afraid to teach our infantry to shoot with rifles for fear, 
lest, when the time to charge with the bayonet came, they should 
remain behind under cover. Their officers, having decided the oppor¬ 
tune moment to advance, issue their orders and the charge is carried 
out. Are not our officers capable of deciding when cover should be 
used and when it should not be used, when to advance and when to 
remain behind cover ? 
Moreover, of all arms the one least liable to panic and moral effect 
is the artillery ; not from any superiority in gunners, but from the fact 
that guns once in action cannot be moved without an advance on the 
part of the limbers, whereas the tendency in case of panic would be in 
the other direction. The guns must remain and the only chance for 
the gunners is to remain with them. 
Similarly in advancing, a man, or even a man and a horse, left to 
their own devices may turn tail; when, however, you have a clump of 
five men and six horses inseparably connected and all under the eye of 
a N.C.O., whatever backward inclination one or two of them may have, 
the majority will carry them forward. This being so artillery is more 
in hand and easier to control than either cavalry or infantry. Why 
then should its commanders not be allowed the same privileges as those 
of the other arms ? 
Much as we may despise cover and prefer a bold offensive, is there 
not a chance that by over encouragement of direct fire we may run the 
risk of suffering great losses at the outset of a campaign and so 
seriously impairing’ that morale which we are so anxious to preserve. 
Important as it is for guns to be well forward, the artillery is only an 
auxiliary arm whose most important duty is to render the greatest 
assistance possible to the infantry, who can alone win battles. This 
would appear to be best achieved by a skilful use of the arm at the 
longer ranges, so as to ensure its co-operation at the decisive ones. 
At manoeuvres it is not possible to carry out with any approach to 
reality the final phases of a battle and the fact that, when two forces are 
closely engaged opportunities for the advance of guns to close range 
must occur, cannot be allowed for. Their action, however, during the 
opening phases of a battle can be foreseen with much greater certainty 
and practised accordingly. 
Excellent as is the experience of the practice ground, the absence of 
the other arms and the very limited field of its operations render its 
tactical teachings often misleading. It is to the manoeuvre ground that 
we must look for our most valuable lessons, where we take our place 
82 
