REQUIRED FOR THE ATTACK OE A MODERN FORTRESS. 
105 
rounds per day for each light howitzer (24) for the 7 days of the first 
position, there is required for bombarding ;— 
Double shell:* —Heavy howitzer, 85536. Medium howitzer, 51840. 
Common shell:—Light howitzer, 6048. 
Enfilading batteries fire at first to produce the utmost effect, after¬ 
wards keeping up only such regular fire, as is sufficient to prevent the 
besieged repairing his works or remounting his ordnance; for this pur¬ 
pose, there may therefore be allowed, per piece, .(4 heavy, 12 medium 
howitzers) for each of the first two days they are in action, 56 rounds, 
and afterwards, until the occupation of the Ravelin,t an average per 
day of 24 rounds. Of the latter, for the medium howitzers, J may with 
advantage be shrapnel to sweep the terrepleins and keep them clear after 
the guns have been dismounted and the traverses ruined. In addition 
each howitzer must be provided with some case shot to meet sorties, 
in the event of their being so far successful as to approach the batteries; 
this, however, will but seldom occur and therefore 12 rounds per piece 
will be sufficient for the contingency. We have thus the ammunition 
necessary for the enfilading batteries — 
Common shell:—Heavy howitzer, 2868. Medium howitzer, 5664. 
Slvrapnell shell :—- ,, — ,, 1440. 
Case shot: — • „ 48 ,, 144. 
Batteries for fighting the enemy's artillery continue open from their 
establishment to the assault, their fire being* brisk at first and after¬ 
wards less as the enemy's guns become disabled; allowing, as an 
average, for each gun 48 rounds, per day, there is required, for this 
purpose 72576 rounds for heavy guns (56) and 57600 for medium guns 
(60). Of this a proportion must be shrapnel, for silencing the enemy's 
fire, temporarily, by driving the gun detachments from their guns, 
when it cannot at the time be done effectually otherwise and for 
other occasional useJ; also, some case must be added for use .against 
successful sorties. For the purposes required, shrapnel in the propor¬ 
tion of ku- the total number of rounds (exclusive of case) will give an 
ample supply, while 5 rounds of case , per heavy gunj|- and 12 per 
medium gun will be sufficient. 
But medium guns, being used in the first position for driving the 
enemy back, such of them as are so employed, require for the time, a 
further supply of 48 rounds, each per day ; of which quantity J, at least, 
should be shrapnel, while of case the supply already made for this nature 
# The heavy and medium howitzers, as already stated, should have shells of two weights, 
one a maximum, which for distinction we term “ double,” and the other medium, or 
“common.” Special incendiary projectiles seem unnecessary, the large bursters of shells 
sufficiently serving the purpose ; for extraordinary use a few rockets might be supplied. 
f On the 25th day of the siege, we assume. 
X Shrapnel in frontal fire cannot as effectually clear the terreplein as it can in enfilade 
fire, and therefore for preventing the remounting of ordnance, &c., apart from the effect 
on the materiel, is not then so useful as common shell. 
|| The heavy guns will seldom be open to attack from sorties and in any case will only 
be liable to it for a short period of time. 
14 
