GARRISON ARTILLERY WARFARE. 185 
(2.) High angle and plunging fire from ordnance with high 
Pm te command. 
(3.) The employment of the P.F. at “close” range using “ P-F. 
predicting.” 
(4.) Constant rehearsals of all possible forms of attacks. 
Up till now-we have dealt with the considerations of the attack on, 
- and defence of, a Coast Fortress, froma purely artillery point of view 
as affected by the guns with which the fortress is provided, but before 
dealing with the aspects of the “primary ” attack we must consider 
the manner in which torpedo-boats added to the defensive resources of 
the fortress influence the problem. [ 
As I have said before, the attack ofa fleet on a Coast Fortress will. 
not be pushed home unless either the weakness of the defence invites 
it or when the fleet is fulfilling the réle of Field Artillery in a battle on 
land by preparing the way for the “primary” attack. But the 
question as to whether the fleet will or will not push to “ close” range 
will be greatly affected by the presence or absence of torpedo-boats in 
the defended area of the fortress attacked. 
This will be apparent from the following consideration of the aspects 
of a “primary ” attack on a Coast Fortress. 
The “primary ” attack will consist of either an attack by torpedo- 
boats, or boat attacks. . 
The object of a torpedo-boat attack would be the destruction of 
ships lying under the protection of the guns of the fortress. 
To secure effective results from the torpedoes it will be necessary 
for the torpedo-boats to approach close to the object of their attack. 
To enable them to do this without their being destroyed by the fire 
of the fortress, and of the fleet attacked, the attackers must either 
engage the guns of the fortress and fleet and push the attack home, 
when under cover of a heavy fire and smoke the torpedo-boats will dart 
in and endeayour to sink the ships at any cost to themselves ; or under 
cover of darkness, or thick weather, the torpedo-boats will endeavour 
to elude the vigilance of their opponents and quietly steal in to 
effective torpedo range. Having effected their purpose they will trust 
to the confusion of a successful attack to make good their escape. 
As regards the first form of attack it will be obvious that if 
the attacking fleet advance sufficiently near to enable their torpedo- 
boats to act effectively, they are themselves exposed to a counter 
attack from the defenders’ torpedo-boats, which is just as likely to be 
effective. 
Further, the time of action of the attacking fleet is limited by the 
fact that the effective range (to use an artillery expression) of a first- 
class torpedo-hoat is about 100 miles from its base of operations, con- 
sequently the attacking fleet in the hours of darkness must be at such 
a distance from the fortress as will ensure its own safety from torpedo 
attacks. 
The attackers cannot therefore commence their operations until 
‘some considerable time after sunrise, and they must run out to sea 
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