Will the 
enemy’s guns 
be as a rule 
clearly 
visible ? 
Advantage (2) 
—Guns can be 
placed so as 
to be able to 
fire unseen by 
the enemy. 
Advantage (8) 
— Accurate 
fire can he 
maintained in 
spite of smoke 
or atmos- 
pheric in- 
fluences (rain, 
snow, etc). 
Disadvantage 
(1) Is slower 
than_ direct 
fire. 
138 A PLEA FOR INDIRECT FIRE. 
that with the broad, thin targets presented by infantry and artillery, 
elevation is of much greater importance than direction; and that a 
well trained battery, using a clinometer marked in yards, should be 
able to find the actual range more rapidly at an absolutely unknown 
distance than one using the tangent or Scott’s sights. 
The two main essentials to successful artillery practice are (1) good 
laying; and (2) good observation: and if the former can be reduced 
to a merely mechanical operation, a great step in advance will have 
been made. It is much easier to see an object when standing up and 
looking through glasses, than when bending down looking over the 
sight of a gun ; and consequently, in cases where the object is broad 
and badly defined, it will be quicker and easier to find the range of it, 
by means of a good clinometer directed from the handspike, than to 
trust to the uncertain vision of the average gunner, who even in peace 
time is liable to nervousness and excitement. In our competitive 
practice it is necessary, for obvious reasons, that the guns of the target 
battery should be placed in the open, where the advantage of the very 
accurate Scott’s sights over the clinometer, for an actual gun upon gun 
attack, is evident; but will this be our normal target in the future 
artillery contest ? 
That the value of good observation is greatly enhanced by the 
addition of reliable laying, goes without saying. 
(2). By using the method of indirect laying, guns can, under 
favourable circumstances, be brought into action under cover and 
unseen by the enemy. 
The introduction of smokeless powder has very much increased the 
importance of this advantage, and reflection on the subject of a modern 
artillery contest brings us to the conclusion that, in a duel in which 
both sides are equally well armed and trained, an inferior artillery 
attacking by the direct method courts destruction. But, on the other 
hand, an inferior force of this arm, employing the indirect. method 
against a superior adversary, whose position is plain to view, may 
attack with a fair prospect of success, should the ground be favourable 
to its concealment. And further, that in future, such a thing as 
artillery surprise will be possible ; as a well posted line of guns, which 
has been brought into position unobserved, will be able to deliver an 
unopposed, and consequently steady and effective fire, against its be- 
wildered antagonist. ‘These results are, however, only possible with 
the aid of the climometer. : 
(3). In cases where the position has been occupied by the direct 
method and the range and fuze have been found, an effective fire can 
be maintained in spite of smoke, haze, or mist, by means of clinometer 
elevation ; giving increased accuracy and saving fatigue to the layers, 
as, for instance, in the preparatory stage of the attack on a position, 
previous to the infantry assault. 
Indirect laying is, on the other hand, at present, subject to the 
following disadvantages :— 
(1). The operation of ranging, owing to (1) the complication 
introduced by the angle of sight, (2) the time taken in placing the 
aiming posts, and (3) the clinometer being marked in degrees and 
