SYNOPTICAL CHARTS. 
469 
chart are deepened ; but as all arms co-operate right through from start 
to finish, their colours are shown throughout the whole period, but of a 
lighter shade than during the period of predominance. From 5 to 
7 a.m., information is being gathered by the Cavalry screen; from 
7 to 9 the Advanced Guard is making a reconnaissance ; from 9 to 12 
occurs the Artillery preparation and distribution of attacking in¬ 
fantry ; and finally from 12 to 1 occurs the infantry attack. 
Now Part V. of the Infantry Drill Book deals necessarily much more 
fully with the Infantry Attack than with any of the previous phases of 
the action. 
The action of the artillery for instance is dismissed in one page, 
whereas some 15 pages are devoted to the details of the infantry 
attack. The tendency also at field manoeuvres is to cut short the 
period of artillery preparation. The false impression, which is thus 
sometimes produced is counteracted in this chart by the long line of 
dark blue from 9 to 12, which may thus tend to prevent our future 
generals from committing the error of Lord Gough at Chillianwallah, 
which error might have been repeated at Goojerat had his staff not 
taken the precaution of locking the door leading down from the flat 
roof where he was stationed, until the artillery had had full time to take 
effect. The right hand side of the chart is devoted to the infantry 
attack alone, and represents on an enlarged scale the last hour of the 
action. 
At 12 noon the infantry are assumed to be 3000 yards from the 
enemy’s position, which is taken by assault at 1 p.m. The pace may 
seem perhaps to be a little rapid—possibly it is somewhat too rapid 
for a successful attack—as a matter of fact, it is just about the same 
speed that was kept up by the 38th German Brigade atl Mars-la-Tour 
in 1870, during their advance over a fire-swept zone 2000 yards in 
depth. 
The various zones of fire through which the attacking infantry 
successively pass are indicated by gradually deepening shades of 
brown. 
The nature of fire to be anticipated in each of these zones—artillery 
fire, long-range rifle fire, collective rifle-fire, and lastly a combination 
of collective and individual rifle-fire—are also given, as well as the 
technical names of the various ranges—distant, long, medium, and 
decisive. At intervals up the chart are inserted quotations from the 
drill-book indicating such matters as the proportionate strength of the 
various lines, the average distances to be kept, the width of the front 
of attack for a given force, whether the advance should be made with 
or without firing, and so on—in short such extracts as an officer of the 
attacking force might wish to be reminded of during each successive 
stage of the advance. A chart of this kind, hung up in a position 
where it can be seen and readily refered to, should, I think, do much 
v., 1° impress the doctrines of Part V. of the drill-book upon the mind. 
‘ i.! References are made throughout on the face of the chart to the 
j(||P a g es °f the 1896 edition of the Infantry Drill, so that the study of 
1 the chart and of the drill-book can be carried on simultaneously, the 
coloured diagram assisting the memory by deepening with the assis- 
