ORGANISATION AND EMPLOYMENT OP SIEGE ARTILLERY. 
435 
An enemy’s guns may be silenced by (a) dismounting or destroying Ordnance 
the ordnance, (b) by rendering the terrepleins uninhabitable. enemy’s the 
The latter is generally the quicker method, but has a temporary effect & uns - 
only, therefore in the direct attack of a fortress, to render the guns 
themselves unserviceable will usually be the object of the besiegers' 
artillery. 
If direct fire be employed for this purpose, range, accuracy, and hard 
hitting are the chief desiderata, all which should be a maximum. This 
nature of piece should be available for enfilade fire at long ranges, and 
as great accuracy of fire is required, guns would generally be used. 
But modern fortresses are provided with so many traverses, and 
guns are now so securely placed in pits, or close beneath parapets, that 
howitzers will be needed for curved and high-angle fire, in order to 
strike them, and destroy the traverses ; the larger the shells the better. 
For ordinary breaching purposes , a piece of medium weight is Ordnance 
sufficient, but heavier natures form a breach more quickly, and for ing P ur- ac * 
breaching by demolition a large shell is important. poses - 
In driving bach the enemy , and heeping under infantry fire , a piece ordnance 
of considerable range, shell power, and mobility is required. SJderin^ 8 
Finally, ordnance must be supplied for use in the most advanced fantr y fire - 
works to repel sorties, and clear the parapets of men; the work demanded 
of this nature of piece, necessitating frequently a rapid change of posi¬ 
tion, its weight should be a minimum. The mountain gun of 200 lbs. 
appears well adapted for such purposes, and no doubt mitrailleuses 
would be found very handy by reason of their lightness, whilst the fact 
of their not recoiling, might enable them to be brought into action 
where a field piece could not be served. 
From the foregoing remarks, it may be concluded that a siege train 
should consist of— 
1. Heavy and medium rifled howitzers. 
2. Heavy and medium rifled guns. 
3. Field pieces, very light guns, and mitrailleuses. 
The per centage of the above, to form a siege train, is another matter 
for consideration. 
For convenience of organisation in time of peace, the British siege Composi- 
train is laid down to consist of any number of units composed of heavy ‘‘Kish 
and light ordnance, according to the requirements of the service. siege.” 
The heavy unit consists of— 
No. Mounted on. 
64-pr. M.L.R. guns. 8 ... Siege travelling carriages, and platform wagons. 
40-pr. n . 8 ... Siege travelling carriages. 
8 -in. M.L.R. howitzers.. 14 ... Ditto (seven of these 8-in. howitzers provided with beds). 
Total . 30 
The light unit of— 
40-pr. M.L.R. guns. 10 
25-pr. „ . 10 ... [• Siege travelling carriages. 
6‘3*in. M.L.R. howitzers 10 ...3 
Total ,, 
30 
