114 
COMPOSITION AND STRENGTH OF A SIEGE TRAIN ETC. 
To speak of onr own train only, as it is now laid down, are we in a 
position to say from practical experience wkat tke gnns of that train 
can do in dismounting, in breaching, by curved or direct fire—at what 
extreme ranges—under what limiting conditions—they may be used and 
with what expenditure of time and ammunition ? or can we say how 
best they may be mounted ? These are questions, which, as it were, 
have two sides to them an active and passive; in other words, in 
dealing with the active effect producible by the ordnance of the train 
on the defence it will not do to omit consideration of the effect, passively 
received, of the defence upon the ordnance. The wisdom of General 
Todleben, in this respect, is to be admired at whose instigation, 
in Eussia, combined exercises for artillery and engineers have 
been of late years carried out. In England these two arms of the 
Service can hardly be said either in annual routine or experiment to be 
brought together; at Shoeburyness there is the E.A. School of Gunnery, 
at Chatham the E.E. School of Engineering completely separated, to 
say the least, by the rivers Thames and Medway. Has the garrison 
artilleryman, unless exceptionally, the chance of becoming practically 
acquainted with the improvements made in defensive and siege batteries 
or has the engineer a chance of learning what practical effect the guns 
of the siege train will h^ve upon the works he throws up-, or of seeing 
how best he may meet that effect ?. Why should not artilleryman and 
engineer meet, once a year, on common ground and be pitted one against 
the other, under conditions as nearly as possible approaching those of 
war ? the cost would be a mere nothing, while the profit to each, not 
only at the time, but for fitness to meet the varying circumstances of 
war would be incalculable, as an example of which we may cite the fact 
that the success of the Germans in breaching, &c., by curved fire at 
Strasburg was to a great extend due to the work being carried out under 
the supervision of the officer who had previously been engaged in the 
experiments in curved fire at Silberberg. 
March 29th, 1877. 
