336 
GOLD MEDAL PEIZE ESSAY, 1894 . 
Disadvan¬ 
tages 
entailed by 
this system, 
German 
method lo 
mass 2nd 
line wagons 
in rear of 
artillery 
column. 
Question not 
altogether 
an artillery 
Proportion 
of guns to 
rifles. 
room for a large column of wagons, and that, therefore, in order to avoid 
a temporary separation, it is necessary that the wagon should be part 
and parcel with the gun. 
Now, although the principle on which the above regulation is based 
is a sound one, namely, that guns should never separate from their 
ammunition, it might be worth our while to consider whether this 
separation cannot be avoided, without having recourse to such an incon¬ 
venient arrangement as that resorted to. 
The Corps Artillery marching with a wagon following each gun 
occupies a space of nearly three-quarters of a mile. 1 If the guns 
march first and the wagons are massed in rear, the space occupied 
by the former is about 800 yards. Consequently, by adopting the first 
formation you delay the deployment of the guns by the time taken to 
traverse the extra distance; you also increase the difficulty of communi¬ 
cation with the Battery Commanders, and run the risk of considerable 
delay and confusion likely to occur in disengaging the guns from the 
wagons in confined spaces and narrow roads. The formation advocated 
is, that each battery should march with its guns in front, followed by 
3 ammunition wagons (1st line), the remaining wagons of the 2nd 
line being massed in rear of the Brigade Division or Corps Artillery, 
with whom they should keep closely connected. 
It is held that by definite Army Regulations on this subject the con¬ 
nection between batteries and their wagons can be maintained without 
the sacrifices just enumerated. In Captain MacbeaiPs translation of 
the latest edition of the “German Field Artillery Drill Regulation” 
('vide “Proceedings,” of the Royal United Service Institution, March 
1893), the following paragraph occurs :— 
“ The second echelons (2nd line of wagons) are now to follow im¬ 
mediately in rear of the various units of the artillery arm—Divisional, 
Corps Artillery, &c. Formerly the second echelons were separated frCm 
the guns to which they belonged, and followed in rear of the fighting 
troop of each independent unit.” 
The reason of this seems plain. The Germans have found it neces¬ 
sary to keep their guns and first supply of ammunition closer together 
than formerly. They have not, however, found it necessary to impede 
the rapid action of their artillery in order to carry out this change. 
The question would appear to be more an army than a regimental one. 
For if it be decided that it is expedient that batteries and brigades 
should be inseparably connected with all their wagons, both on the 
march and on advancing into action, we shall be enabled to adopt the 
formation which will give the fullest effect to our arm. If, on the other 
hand, the question is decided otherwise, we shall have to abide by that 
decision, and only take to the front with us the wagons fixed by regu¬ 
lation, still disposing these in the most advantageous manner to suit 
our movements. 
Before leaving the subject of organisation it may be interesting to 
note how we stand in relation to foreign armies in the matter of the 
proportion of guns to infantry. 
1 Should 3 additional wagons per battery be added, this distance will be increased to close on a 
mile. 
