FIELD ARTILLERY POSITIONS. 
383 
Not only that, it takes longer to range. I will quote a few statistics 
I have found in the “ Militar-Wochenblatt,” which I mentioned just 
now. At some experiments quoted by Yon Rohne, the well-known 
German authority on artillery matters, while it took batteries laying 
directly 4*6 minutes on an average to range on a target represent¬ 
ing artillery, those which laid indirectly required 12‘7 minutes to 
effect the same purpose. Moreover, when laying directly a percentage 
of 7*9 hits per minute was attained, against 2'7 arrived at by using 
the “ richt-flache.” I do not attach overwhelming importance to 
these figures, because they are based on only five series fired 
indirectly; but they are probably sufficiently trustworthy to show 
that the two methods can scarcely be regarded as equally efficient. 
It is impossible, without more experience than we have had in this 
country, to speak with anything like confidence, but indirect laying 
will scarcely give good results unless it is possible for the battery com¬ 
mander both to observe and to command. To enable him to do this 
will need a very favourable terrain, and he will often have to stand 
on a wagon or limber in order to see. I notice that this is the view 
of many officers on the continent and it is with the object of helping 
the battery commander towards the fulfilment of his duties that the 
portable “observation ladder” has been introduced in some services; 
that of Belgium, I think, is one. I remember some years ago trans¬ 
lating an account of one of these new-fangled adjuncts and much 
exercising the mind of a brother officer by doing so. He complained 
that of late he had been called upon to perform so many unexpected 
feats that he feared possibly he might some day be required to climb 
trees, if a hint so dangerous as my ladder was given to the authorities. 
I trust I shall outrage no sensitive feelings now I mention it again 
and that I shall arouse no animosity if I bring yet another modern 
contrivance to notice. 
I understand that the German “ richt-flache ” does not meet with 
favour here amongst those who have tried it practically, as I con¬ 
fess I have not. I do not wish to advocate the particular one in use in 
Germany, and I am quite prepared to believe that our aiming-posts 
will do all we usually require more simply and more efficiently than it 
can. But, nevertheless, I have myself felt the need of a “ richt-flache,” 
and I should like to see such an instrument with our batteries. I have 
seen two batteries of a brigade division brought into action against a 
target on which they could lay directly, but the third battery had a 
wood in front of it, and it could not therefore see the particular part of 
the target on which it would have been desirable that all three batteries 
should direct their guns. The configuration of the ground absolutely 
precluded any other position being taken up. Now you cannot plant 
aiming-posts on the tops of trees. You could give the guns the 
required elevation by means of clinometers, but you could not give 
them the necessary direction. It is in cases of this kind that, to my 
mind, an instrument, by means of which guns, when they cannot see 
the target, may be trained in a given direction, as they are in a fort on 
racers, is so valuable. Everyone must also remember positions which 
