368 
NOTES ON APPLIED FIELD FORTIFICATION. 
taken up and then making them look over a point marked on their 
spade at the proposed height of the parapet, cause them to move back¬ 
wards or forwards until they can just sweep with their eye the surface 
of the ground to be defended. In selecting the fences to be occupied 
and the positions for the trenches, the desirability of having as extended 
a clear field of fire as possible must be borne in mind. This can be 
obtained by advancing or retiring the line within limits, or by clearing 
the ground according to time and means available. If very little time 
can be spared, nothing can be done except to adjust the line to the 
best advantage to the accidents of the ground as they exist, but if time 
and means are available, the best results will be obtained by a com¬ 
bination of adjustment and clearing. Care must, however, be taken in 
clearing, not to do it in such a way as to enable the enemy to detect 
with ease the line that is occupied. 
The detailed methods of placing buildings and villages in a state of 
defence, of preparing features of ground and of making trenches, will 
be found in all Text-books of Fortification. 
Artillery and Machine Guns. 
So far we have been considering the infantry line of defence. Another 
subject for the consideration of the superior commanders is the employ¬ 
ment of the artillery and machine guns. 
Theoretically, of course, the position for the artillery of the defence 
is on high ground somewhat retired behind the infantry line, so as not 
to be exposed to the musketry fire of the assailants, at least until they 
get very near. But as a matter of practice the opportunity for placing 
the guns in such positions will very often be absent. Either no high 
ground will be found behind the infantry line, or, if there is such, guns 
placed there may be unable to command the ground over which the 
enemy has to advance. Therefore the guns must often fight in line, 
with the infantry, and there must be no hesitation in placing them 
there if circumstances demand it, though no doubt a rearward position 
is to be preferred if it can be obtained without impairing the efficiency 
of their fire. But no question of the safety of the guns must be allowed 
to interfere with the paramount consideration of obtaining the greatest 
possible value from their fire, and they must be placed wherever that 
is best attained, whether behind the infantry line, in it, or even before 
it if need be, as was the case with the German guns at the commence¬ 
ment of the battle of Noisseville. 
In selecting positions for the guns, it must be borne in mind what 
their functions are during the different stages of the action. First they 
will have to engage the assailant's artillery and try to prevent its ob¬ 
taining the upper hand, and then turning its fire on the points selected 
for attack, so as to prepare the way for the infantry advance. The 
guns of the defence must endeavour to draw as much as possible of 
the enemy's artillery fire on themselves, and so preserve their own 
infantry unharmed to meet the infantry attack. Therefore, the first 
condition to be sought for in an artillery position is the possibility of 
commanding with as effective fire as possible the ground on which the 
assailants are likely to bring up their guns. In a civilised country it 
is probable that this ground can be pretty clearly recognised before- 
