472 
ATTACK OF A MODERN LAND FORTRESS. 
up to about 70°, for destroying casemates and ditch-flanking defences, 
the projectile descending almost vertically. 
There is an impression in some quarters that howitzer fire is inac¬ 
curate ; nothing could be more fallacious than to suppose such a thing, 
and those who base their theories of Attack and Defence on such 
an assumption will make a dangerous mistake. Even the M.L. howit¬ 
zers have been made to shoot with great accuracy at ranges up to 4200 
yards, although compared with the B.L. howitzers they fail in shell- 
power, and their mountings are not adapted for high-angle fire, nor 
can smokeless powder be used with them, and these are the consider¬ 
ations that condemn them and not their shooting. The accuracy 
of the B.L. howitzers will, no doubt, be still further increased by 
attention to points connected with the mounting which have so much 
to do with good shooting. 
observation A system of observation of fire, simple, rapid, and accurate, is one 
0 re * of the first essentials in carrying out accurate fire from the howitzer 
batteries; we have such a system in our service, but want of space 
prevents any description of it being given. In this system non-com¬ 
missioned officers can work the observing and plotting instruments, the 
observing stations need not be visible one from the other, the base 
between them need not necessarily be measured, nor are plans or maps 
now used, although these should be supplied to each Battery Com¬ 
mander as they will be useful in many ways. Observation of fire is as 
accurate by night as by day, and it follows that ranging can be equally 
well carried out in one case as in the other. 
Auxiliary The Auxiliary Armament would be mainly employed as adjuncts to 
“ nt - the Infantry attack on the advanced posts and main position; the 20-pr. 
B.L., field, and quick-firing guns would employ shrapnel against troops 
and guns exposed in any way, or to prevent the manning of parapets of 
field entrenchments during the attack, also for the general bombard¬ 
ment of villages and other defensive posts; with the addition of 
machine-guns they would also be employed in repelling sorties. 
Except in the final aftack on any position by the Infantry, when 
these guns will have to be massed more or less in the open, or with 
only such cover as gun-pits, etc., will afford (and when they will have 
to sacrifice themselves, if necessary, in support of the attack), indirect 
fire from behind cover will have to be largely resorted to or they may 
fall an easy prey to the fire of the concealed light howitzers of the 
defence; the necessity of instruction for Field Batteries in this class of 
fire in peace time is obvious. 
Field The role of the field howitzer is clearly indicated as for curved and 
Howitzers, 0 f common shell with high explosive against villages 
and buildings in the advanced Infantry line and field casemates (and 
over-head cover generally) in the field-works; this fire is capable of 
rendering field redoubts untenable and destroying obstacles, and can 
be continued up to a very late period of the Infantry advance. 
It would undoubtedly be capable of disabling or dismounting any of 
the ordnance of the defence unprovided with armoured protection or 
very heavy over-head cover, and its value can hardly be overrated, both 
as an adjunct to the Infantry attack and as an auxiliary to the heavy 
