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THE TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT OE THE AMMUNITION 
WAGONS OF ARTILLERY ARMED WITH QUICK-FIRING 
GUNS, SPECIALLY THOSE OF HORSE ARTILLERY 
ACTING WITH CAVALRY. 
BY 
MAJOR J. W. STIRLING, R.HA. 
T HE question referred to by Major N. E. Young in the discussion 
of Lieut.-Colonel Elmslie’s Lecture “ Some Experiences in 
Egypt”, (vide “ Proceedings ” of the Royal Artillery Institution, Feb 
ruary, 1899) relative to the tactical employment of wagons with Horse 
Artillery, can hardly be left where it is, for the instructions as to 
Ammunition Supply in Field Artillery Drill, Chapter I., Section 18 
were issued before the question of quick-firing guns came into promi¬ 
nence, and the solution adopted by Major Young himself cannot be 
accepted as a general principle, although no doubt it answered well 
where there was no possibility of being opposed by a hostile artillery. 
The introduction of quick-firing field guns lends a special inte’tst 
to the problem at the present time, and whatever the ultimate general 
arrangements may be for increased artillery ammunition supply, the 
first step would appear to be the addition of three ammunition wagons 
to all batteries. This has already been accepted as a necessity on the 
Continent and the extra rounds thus carried are surely in a far more 
advantageous position for all practical purposes, than if in charge of 
a column however mobile, which has first to establish its connection 
with the guns to say nothing of other difficulties so liable to arise be¬ 
fore the ammunition supply becomes effective. The object of the 
present article being to consider the tactical employment of the 
wagons of Batteries armed with quick-firing guns, it is beside the 
mark to discuss whether the addition of three wagons per Battery 
forms a sufficient extra supply for an Artillery armed with quick-firing 
guns, though in view of the facts brought to notice in Lieutenant 
Atkinson’s interesting paper* in the April number of the “Proceedings” 
of the Royal Artillery Institution, it is quite possible that it may be 
so; and we may now pass to the tactical details. 
No special difficulty seems to arise in the normal employment of 
Field Artillery, or of Horse Artillery acting as Corps Artillery, for our 
admirable system of wagon supply, (Field Artillery Drill, Chapter IV, 
Section 9.) lends itself readily to the slight modifications required by 
the addition of a third echelon of wagons; and I venture to express 
an opinion, based, as regards the French Artillery, on personal observa- 
* “ Artillery Ammunition Supply,” by Lieutenant B. Atkinson, R.H.A., published in “Proceedings” 
R.A,I„ Vol. XXVI, No. 4. 
