FIELD ARTILLERY FIRE. 
331 
good fire discipline, allows irregular intervals, which will cause the fire 
to become hurried, then the probability is that he will find himself 
without ammunition long before there is any chance of replenishing 
his store. 
It is, however, the custom abroad when engaging artillery, to fire 
very rapidly immediately after finding the range; this is for the pur¬ 
pose of gaining the upperhand and preventing the enemy's ranging. 
A superiority having been established can be kept, and the intervals may 
gradually be increased until ordinary fire is resumed for the economy 
of ammunition. In a defensive action the reserves of ammunition 
being closer at hand a more rapid rate of fire may be made use of. 
To ensure regularity of fire it is as well, in the training of a battery, 
to drill, for a short time, watch in hand, until all concerned have a 
thorough appreciation of the intervals that should be given, otherwise 
the time is certain to be over-estimated and the intervals curtailed to 
an extent which would be disastrous to economy of ammunition and 
most certainly to regularity of fire. 
