ORGANISATION AND EMPLOYMENT OE SIEGE ARTILLERY. 
539 
In the war of 1870 the extreme limit of range (3750 metres) 
as laid down by the Germans was reached oftener than was expected, 
whilst in many cases it was deemed desirable to exceed that; so that 
for this position they have of late introduced a more powerful gun 
(the 15 cm ring gun, having an effective range of 8500 metres at 40° 
elevation) with the special object of fighting the enemy^s artillery 
with decisive results up to 4500 metres, for enfilading fire up to 
5000 metres, and for bombarding up to 7500 metres; whilst a short 
21 cm gun is proposed with a mean range of 5000 metres, to destroy 
hollow traverses and bomb-proofs more effectually. 
The French say in their handbook, “ The first batteries should be 
armed with the heaviest guns in the train, and with a few field guns to 
resist sorties.” 
The ordnance, therefore, placed in the first artillery position will 
principally be 64-prs., 8-in. and 6*3-in. howitzers, for enfilading, dis¬ 
mounting, bombarding, and searching the interior of the defences; 
with a few 40 or 25-prs. to drive the enemy from any ground he may 
be holding in front of the fortress, whilst probably the field artillei*y 
will arm any emplacements to resist sorties. 
The batteries in this position will in most cases be out of earshot of circum. 
the enemy, widely dispersed,* embracing perhaps a semicircle or even SSing 
more, and generally of the “ elevated” type. The dispersion faci- batteries 
litates arming, by giving the different advancing columns a greater of first 
variety of roads along which to travel ; whilst, as in elevated batteries posltlon ‘ 
the platforms rest on the natural surface of the ground, the arming 
can be carried on independent of the throwing up of the parapet, and 
thus the artillery can get to work at an earlier hour of the night. 
In many cases batteries of the first position, being concealed from 
the enemy, are completed beforehand. If such be the case, night 
work will be rendered easier by the men being taken into the battery 
by day, shown the places for the guns, the position of the magazines, 
shell rooms, the entrances, and communications. Moreover, it may be 
allowable to bring up the ammunition by day; but as a rule, unless 
special difficulties connected with arming are foreseen, or the battery 
is very securely situated, the guns should not be placed in position 
until the night preceding the opening of fire. 
Double shell, common shell, and carcases are the projectiles chiefly Projectiles 
used from this position for bombardment: common shell for dis- of first enes 
mounting and enfilading : shrapnel to temporarily silence the enemy^s 
fire by driving off his gun detachments. 
A few star shellf may be needed for illuminating purposes, and 
case might be provided in the event of a sortie being so successful as 
to reach the batteries, but, owing to the distance of these, such an 
emergency is very unlikely to occur. In the war of 1870-1, though 
so many sieges were undertaken by the Germans, case was not in any 
instance employed. 
* R.M. Academy Text-Book on Fortification, Part II.. par. 319. 
f At present, the effective range (about 1200 yds.) of the star shell is insufficient for use from 
this position. 
