98 
COMPOSITION AND STRENGTH OP A SIEGE TRAIN 
to the greater calibre,* * * § and this again admits of the easier attainment 
of any required angle of descent. 
We are therefore led to the conclusion that the heavier piece is the best 
for breaching and such like purposes; at the same time the lighter will 
frequently be sufficient, especially for the demolition of casemated works. 
Similar conditions have to be fulfilled in keeping under infantry fire 
(hi.) as in harassing working parties, therefore the piece, which serves 
for the latter in the first position, will serve for the former in the second. 
I' 1 or effecting lodgements on captured works (iv.) a light and effective 
piece being required the heavier field gun will in ordinaryt he sufficient. 
We thus conclude that for the artillery of the second position there- 
are required :—- 
I. 
II. 
III. 
Heavy rifled howitzers. 
Medium ,, „ 
Light „ „ 
Medium rifled guns. 
Field guns. 
Recapitulating we have therefore, the— 
Descriptions and natures op ordnance required por the siege 
TRAIN, as- 
I. Heavy rifled hoivitzers. 
§Medium ,, „ 
Light _ „ „ 
II. §Heavy rifled guns. 
Medium ,, ,, 
III. Field guns and mitrailleuses. 
Of these, in the British Service, the heavy or medium howitzers have 
no representative, J and corresponding* to the remaining pieces are, the 
7 pr. M.L.R.; 64 pr. M.L.R.; 40 pr. M.L.R. and 25 pr. M.L.R.; 
16 pr. M.L.R. and *45Gatling. 
In the German Service, the heavy|| and light howitzers have no re¬ 
presentative and corresponding to the remainder are, the 15 c.m. B.L.R 
short gun; 15 c.m. B.L.R. long gun; 12 c.m. B.L.R. gun; 9 c.m. 
B.L.R. gun and the mitrailleuse. 
We have next to calculate the number of pieces of each nature re¬ 
quired ; where the frontal attack is employed, which will be the rule, 
in dismounting fire gun for gun of the defence must be allowed as “ one 
gun in the former [i.e. the atttack) will only be worth as much as one 
* Thus assuming the final normal velocity, necessary for breaching effectively, to be 
524*9 ft. (160 m.) with the short 15 c.m. gun 3 with the 21 c.m. gun to do the same work, 
it need only be 374*7 ft. (114*1 m.) 
f For special cases, in lodgements for breaching, &c., the medium gun or howitzer 
can be used. 
§ These may conveniently be of the same calibre. 
J The 8 in. and 6*3 in. M.L.R. howitzers hardly represent howitzers proper; they are 
more of the nature of mortars. 
|| As already mentioned, experiments have been made in Germany with a 21 c.m. short 
gun. 
