PRECIS 
AND 
TRANSLATIONS. 
“REVUE MILITAIRE DE L’ETRANG-ER.” 
APRIL, 1891. 
“ THE EMPLOYMENT OF PLUNGING FIRE IN THE FIELD.” 
TBANSLATED BY 
LIEUT.-COLONEL J. H. G. BROWNE, late R.A. 
INTRODUCTION. 
In publishing this translation the Committee would call the attention of readers 
to a precis translation, by Major E. S. May, R.A., of a series of articles from the 
Militdr TFochenblatt , published in No. 5, Yol. XYIII., R.A.I. “ Proceedings,” 
December, 1890. 
The following translation is interesting as giving a French refutation of the 
views held by a distinguished Bavarian artillerist, who has perhaps been rather 
led away by his enthusiasm for high-angle artillery fire in the field. 
In the conferences upon “ Sudden Attacks against Fortified Places,” of which the 
Revue Militaire de VEtr anger gave an analysis in 1889, 1 General von Sauer 
promulgated the opinion that with the perfected means which are now at the dis¬ 
posal of the artillery it is possible to reduce a fortified place in a few days. These 
“perfected means” consist in shrapnel fire and in plunging fire. “ With these 
means,” says the General, “ siege warfare need no longer be carried on according 
to special rules ; the procedure laid down in the Infantry Regulations for the 
attack of a strongly entrenched position are sufficient.” In justification of this 
assertion, the General relies upon two principal reasons—(1.) That the line of 
detached forts of a large fortified place is very difficult to defend on account of 
its extent, and of the wide intervals which separate the works from each other; 
these intervals forming weak zones, only slightly commanded by the forts, and 
easily forced by the assailants. (2.) That the moral and material position of the 
defenders is very inferior to that of the assailants, and that consequently they 
have not the same opportunities of taking advantage of the new means of warfare 
now possessed by the artillery. 
We find similar ideas expressed in, a very remarkable paper, read last year by 
General von Sauer before the officers of the garrison of Ingoldstadt, which we are 
about to review. But on this occasion, leaving siege warfare on one side, the 
author considers the case of a battle in the open field, and supposes that one of 
the adversaries occupies a position, for the defence of which he has called in aid 
all the resources of temporary fortification. His object is to prove that in spite 
1 See “ Proceedings ” of the R.A. Institution, No. 11, Vol. XVII. 
5. VOL. XIX. 
31a 
