90 
FIELD FOKTIFICATION. 
a few troops to make a very considerable resistance up to a certain 
point, and therefore advanced defences will probably only have to be 
constructed for small bodies of troops. 
We next come to the defence cf the main position. The choice of the 
position would probably not depend entirely on its suitability from an 
engineer point of view, but partly on other considerations. But, given, 
the position our practice is, not to attempt to make it equally strong, and 
therefore equally weak everywhere, but to pick out certain points well 
suited for defence, and devote our time and labour to rendering 
them as strong as possible: the idea being that an enemy cannot 
penetrate between the strongly defended points until he has captured 
them. We believe that the infantry of the attack are naturally drawn 
to act against those portions of the defensive line, from the fire of 
which they are themselves suffering most severely; that it is the natural 
instinct of the infantry soldier to reply to the fire that tries him 
most; and thus, the more strongly we defend our strong points, the 
more certainly will they draw the attack of the enemy, because success 
can only be attained by their capture. 
In accordance with the principle of looking first to existing cover, 
we occupy villages, woods, and special features of ground when they 
are suitably placed ; and when they are not so placed, or are not to be 
found, we then resort to the construction of field redoubts where time 
and the soil allow it. 
In undulating country, like much of our English country, villages 
are frequently situated in valleys, and are commanded by ground in 
close proximity; their situation being often determined by the con¬ 
venience of water supply. In such situations they cannot well be 
utilised as the strong points of a position; but where they are on 
unfordable streams and command bridges, they form admirable ad¬ 
vanced posts. In open and comparatively level country, villages 
are most valuable as “ stroug points.” Their advantages are, that 
there is a large amount of cover already existing, not only for shooting 
lines, but also for supports and reserves; that the troops occupying 
them are well sheltered from weather; that water and fuel, and often 
food and forage, are readily procurable; and that a certain quantity of 
tools and a good supply of materials are likely to be available for the 
construction of the necessary “ works.” However little time is avail¬ 
able, it can be usefully spent in improving a village for defence, and all 
work done on it is work to the good. 
The increased power of Field Artillery has rendered the occupation 
of houses as a first line of defence very undesirable, and we now look 
to occupying the enclosures of the village for our shooting line; for 
although, as against earthworks the common shell of Field Artillery 
has very little effect and need not be seriously regarded, against houses 
the case is different, and even shrapnel is likely to have serious effect 
on troops in houses of ordinary construction. For this reason, troops 
in support or reserve are generally placed behind, rather than inside 
houses. 
The preparation of the enclosures of a village for defence does not 
require further notice here ; but I would point out that, in proportion 
