REQUIRED FOR THE ATTACK OF A MODERN FORTRESS. 103 
pr. M.L.R. guns, eight 40 pr. M.L.R. guns, fourteen 8 in. M.L.R. 
howitzers with six 7 pr. M.L.R. guns which gives a percentage, to 
compare with the above, of; 
Guns :—- heavy, 22. medium, 22. field, — 
Howitzers: — heavy ,*— medium, — light, 17. 
Mortars :— heavy, 39. 
The experience of the war of 1870 showed that the Germanf siege 
train should be considerably increased and, consequently, it was recom¬ 
mended that it should be made to consist of 400 pieces, of which 360 to 
be rifled of these the 12 c.m. guns to form 38 p.c. and the short 15 
c.m. guns 45 p.c. 
If now, for convenience of organization in time of peace, a unit is to 
be fixed for the siege train, clearly it can only be the 100 pieces formed 
by the percentage numbers of the total train, (or a less number given 
by the same submultiple of those numbers), or, instead of one, two 
distinct units formed by the percentage numbers of each position. 
In the attack the piece itself must become the unit, or, in each nature, 
that number of pieces, which a Battery of artillery can furnish men 
to work. 
The number of pieces for the attack of a front of any similar fortress 
to that taken as typical, constructed upon a polygon of other length 
of side than 393 yards, (360 m.) maybe estimated from the train for the 
typical fortress by simply making it proportional to the length of side 
and afterwards subdividing the number thus obtained into the proper 
percentage for each nature: from which, as basis, the total train re¬ 
quired for the fortress is readily deduced. If the fortress estimated for 
be very strong and has great length of exterior side, there will be a 
* As already mentioned, the 8 in. howitzer is more of a mortar than a howitzer. 
f A Russian train consists of 400 pieces divided into 12 sections, as follows .—1 and 2 
form the pare d’investissement and consist each of 32 rifled 9 c.m. guns; 3 to 10 form 
the pare de Vattaque, 3 to 6 consisting each of 24 rifled 15 c.m. guns and 4 rifled 15 c.m. 
mortars, 7 to 10 of 16 rifled 15 c.m. guns, 8 rifled 21 c.m. 4 rifled 15 c.m. and 8 smooth¬ 
bore mortars ; 11 and 12 constitute the pare de reserve consisting each of 20 rifled 15 c.m. 
and 8 rifled 9 c.m. guns, with 4 rifled 21 c.m. 4 rifled 15 c.m. and 4 smooth-bore mortars; 
(Of the 15 c.m. guns 60 are heavy and 140 light.) To the train is attached 6 Battaliions 
of Artillery, each of an effective strength of 1355, viz.:—21 officers, 100 N.C. officers 
8 trumpeters, 1,200 gunners and 26 non-combatants.”—Revue d’Artillerie, May, 1877. 
X See Prussian Fortress and Siege Artillery, 4th part, by Major H. Muller. 
For the siege of Strasburg 371 pieces .were provided, the extent of front directly 
attacked being about 900 yds. 
Kraft, in his pamphlet on sieges, recommends the relative proportions for a siege train, 
assuming S.B. mortars are not required, as •— 
16 c.m. long guns 25 p.c. 
„ short ... 25 „ 
12 c.m. guns ... 30 „ 
9 c.m. guns ... 10 „ 
21 c.m. mortars... 10 „ 
or, for comparison, with the estimated train, 
Guns :—heavy, 25 p.c. medium, 30 p.c. field, 10 p.c. 
Howitzers heavy — medium, 25 p.c. light - 
Mortars:—heavy 10 p.c. 
but, as already mentioned at the conclusion of his pamphlet, he hints at the desirability of 
introducing a heavy howitzer. 
