7 
may be apprehended. If the defenders begin to fire too soon the attacking 
batteries may re-open and inflict unexpected losses ; if they begin too late they 
run the risk of not being able to check the assault. This is a real danger, and 
absolutely independent of the employment of plunging fire. 
It is evident, however, that—in default of torpedo shells—it is necessary either 
to increase the angle of descent of the projectiles or the extent of the cone of 
dispersion, in order to strike men who are under cover of the interior slope. 
But granting that one of these two solutions has been adopted, the defenders 
will still have a very simple means of escaping from the artillery fire. This 
means, which is recommended by the German and Austrian Regulations, consists 
in not occupying the works at the beginning of the combat, but in keeping the 
troops outside in rear or on the flanks, either in artificial shelters or behind 
natural cover of some kind, only leaving some sentries in the work itself. The 
parapets will not be manned until the enemy’s infantry has approached near 
enough to encourage the hope of inflicting serious losses upon it by musketry 
fire. In this way the defenders will avoid exposing themselves prematurely to 
the artillery fire, and it is questionable whether under these circumstances plung¬ 
ing fire could produce an appreciable moral effect before the assault. The outside 
shelters, placed behind the works and masked from view, can hardly be reached 
without an inadmissible expense of projectiles, which can with difficulty be 
replaced on the field of battle. 
According to General von Sauer, one of the greatest advantages possessed by 
higli-angle fire is that it can be employed to accompany the assault up to the 
last moment. In the case of guns with a low trajectory, the angles of descent 
are small, and firing over the heads of infantry is dangerous as soon as the 
assaulting troops are near the point of attack. 
It seems at first sight that a similar danger does not exist with liigh-angle fire; 
but it is not so. The General’s opinion would hold good if percussion fuzes 
were employed, but with time fuzes, and especially with wide cones of dispersion, 
the advantage of high angles' of descent is partly annulled by serious incon¬ 
veniences. It must be remembered that, with the low velocities of plunging fire, 
any error in the burning of the fuzes will produce considerable effect, and if the 
shrapnel bursts too high the cone of dispersion will cover a large extent of 
ground and the bullets may strike friendly troops. 
General von Sauer takes no account of this fact. He believes that ordnance 
used for high-angle fire will be very useful in supporting the assaults, because 
they are not obliged to cease firing and to change position in order to follow the 
infantry in their advance. They will also support the ordinary Field Artillery 
during their changes of position. “ We may believe,” he says, “ that the 
support of high-angle fire will be necessary to enable Field Artillery to change 
position when required. If the defence has deployed a sufficient number of 
guns to prevent such a change of position, will not the attack remember with 
pleasure the diabolical force which it possesses in its mortars and howitzers ?” 
With such support they will overcome all resistance. 
The General seems to forget that both sides equally will make use of mortars 
and howitzers. The final success will rest, as it always does, with the more 
skilful; but it may be claimed that the defence has over the attack the advantage 
of better known ranges, and is, in that respect, better prepared for the contest. 
The General does not, however, seem to think so, for he is of opinion that, if the 
attack appreciates all the values of' curved fire, he will not care much for the 
defenders’ guns, because some batteries for plunging fire will be able to 
tactically destroy even a superior force of artillery using direct fire only. For 
the latter must post themselves so that nothing can interfere either with their 
field of fire or that of sight, and therefore must expose themselves ; while the 
former need not expose themselves at all, and can only be struck by liigh-angle 
