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PRECIS 
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TRASSLATION. 
“RUSSIAN ARTILLERY JOURNAL.” 
CA V ALRY AND THE AETILLEEY 
DLTL. 
BY 
MAJOR E. A. LAMBART, R.A. 
A weiter'aii the Russian Artillery Journal, in an article entitled “ Artillery 
questions of the day,” lays stress on the possible action of cavalry in the pre¬ 
liminary stages of the artillery duel in a general action. It does not appear from 
a study of the latest cavalry and artillery drill-books of our service that this has 
hitherto been much considered by either arms. 
The following are extracts from the article referred to :— 
" 1.—The principle of modern tactics, that as large a force of artillery as 
possible should be employed at the commencement of a battle to prepare 
the way for the infantry, entails many difficulties on the former arm as 
regards the deployment of the long line of guns in the selected position 
and calls for carefully thought-out measures of protection for the artillery 
at this period of an action. 
“ 2.—The preliminary stages of an action will necessarily be fought princi¬ 
pally by artillery of long range and cavalry as the arm of rapid daring 
tactics. 
“ 3.—It would be difficult to find better opportunities for bold action on the 
part of cavalry, even in small bodies, than the preparatory deployment 
of artillery masses and we must therefore expect at this period desperate 
attacks.from that arm. 
“ 4.—At the time of its deployment artillery is deprived of all independence 
of action and loses entirely its power of self-defence. Especially in 
cases when the enemy, having previously occupied a defensive position, 
is beforehand with us in his deployment, daring, but not necessarily very 
risky, attacks of cavalry, supported by flank attacks of small bodies of 
infantry, may have disastrous effects for our artillery. 
“ 5.—That the Germans, in 1870 were able, without any particular precau¬ 
tions, to develop long lines of guns successfully must be attributed to 
want of enterprise on the part of the French cavalry and we must not 
expect similar immunity in future. 
0. VOL. xxiv. 
