398 
FIELD ARTILLERY POSITIONS. 
The effect on the gunners of this very heavy labour must not 
be forgotten. In his remarks on the experiments here last 
year, the Commandant said —“ The distance was about 70 yards, 
with a gentle slope, and hard ground free from boulders 
and heather. The fatigue entailed was very marked, most of 
the detachments were quite unfit for their duties for some minutes ; 
anything like accuracy of laying would have been quite out of the 
question for some time.” It is very easy to say that the effect of 
guns opening fire with blank after occupying their position by this 
method “ was annihilating.” It is quite another thing to actually pro¬ 
duce an annihilating effect with real shell. It will certainly not be 
produced while the detachments are in the state described above. 
In conclusion, I can only say that the whole question is one of great 
interest to all Field Artillerymen, and that I trust a discussion on the 
subject may lead to its being thoroughly ventilated in the “ Proceed¬ 
ings.” If, however, my own remarks had not been so markedly 
selected for attack by the opponents of our English method, I should 
have refrained from taking part in such discussion, because I am very 
conscious of the disadvantage I am under in not having been present at 
any German manoeuvres. I can only plead in extenuation that my duties 
here, while preventing me from watching German batteries firing blank, 
have given me unusually favourable opportunities of watching English 
batteries firing shell, and that under the nearest approach to service 
conditions yet attained. 
Note.—I n this paper I have thought it convenient to refer to the method of 
bringing guns into action described by Colonel Turner and Captain Pilcher 
as “The German Method.” I am aware, however, that the German Field 
Artillery Drill Book does not insist on this method, and that it is not 
universally approved of by German officers. 
Okehampton, 
May , 1897 . 
