78 
THE FRENCH MANOEUVRES OF 1891 . 
positions were selected on the ridges of the hills, the fire was kept up 
till the Infantry approached very close to the points against which 
their attack was directed. This could be done with much more im¬ 
punity when smokeless powder is used than with ordinary black powder, 
as with the former explosive every movement of friends or foes can be 
distinctly followed, and there should be no danger of the fire not being 
discontinued when the opposing sides have met. The Artillery even 
fired in tiers where the ground was sufficiently elevated to allow of this 
being done, and where positions were too cramped to allow of all the 
batteries forming on one line. Excessively long ranges were avoided, 
batteries did not commence firing, even in the early stages of a battle, 
at over 3000 yards, beyond these ranges the French gunners hold that 
observation ceases to be accurate or trustworthy, and that a very great 
deal of ammunition may be wasted to no purpose. The greatest im¬ 
portance is put on power of observation, the tripod of the long telescope 
being generally in its place before the limbers have g’ot clear from the 
guns; much pains and time is expended in training observers. 
In change of position and in coming into action, the gunners of the 
Field Batteries were always carried on the limbers and wagons, but on 
the line of march the gunners .were always on foot. The iron rail 
which passes completely round the limbers makes the gunners' seats 
much more comfortable than with us, who hav3 only the hand rail for 
the men to grasp; the rail passes completely round the vvagon-body, 
the gunners' kits, which are carried inside of it, being thus prevented 
from falling off, as the kits are not strapped firmly to the boxes. 
On the offensive there was no attempt made to dig gun-pits, these 
being considered quite incompatible with any change of position in 
support of the advance of Infantry, even if the great amount of time 
required for their construction is not taken into account. Batteries 
appeared to come into action to the front, and no attempt was made to 
unlimber on the reverse slopes of the hills and run up by hand, no doubt 
this would have been done had it been in any way advantageous, 
but how few positions will allow of this without loss of time and great 
labour to the detachments; the limbers were at once taken to the rear 
and formed up under cover, the ammunition being supplied from the 
wagons, one wagon remaining with each section. The teams were not 
unhooked, but this would not have been the case on actual service, 
as, according to the regulations, teams should be taken out whenever 
possible. The horses' heads faced the front, and were formed between 
their sections and about ten yards to the rear. 
Banging was done independently by batteries; directly a gun was 
ready to be fired the No. 3 raised his hand and the Battery Commander 
signalled “ Fire," the result of the round being reported by an observer 
looking through a powerful telescope which was placed a few yards to 
either flank of the battery, but, as only blank ammunition was used, 
no practical information regarding the ranging of a battery could be 
obtained, nor the number of rounds required ordinarily in so doing. 
'The flank to which the Battery Commander or observer stood was quite 
immaterial, as the smokeless powder in use with the French Artillery 
in no way interferes with the vision, it is absolutely smokeless, even 
