276 ARTILLERY FROM AN INFANTRY OFFICER'S POINT OF VIEW. 
do not see that it is simpler, or more easily managed, than our own system of 
having a different notation for tangent scaleand fuze and it does not appear to be 
applicable to clinometer elevation, of which the German artillery make consider- 
able use. 
We have had a good many statistics given us of the effect of long range infantry y 
fire upon artillery. The following details of an experiment carried out at Lydd 
in July 1894, showing the relative power of field guns and rifles at long ranges, 
may be interesting :— 
Target, a field redoubt, 25 dummies were placed on the banquette with their 
heads showing over the top of the parapet, 25 dummies behind the rear casemate, 
range 1050 yards, number of bullets 5000. 
This was fired at by 200 infantry with Lee-Metford rifles ; ranging volleys were 
carefully fired by sections. The general results of these volleys could be fairly 
well seen by the dust thrown up by the shingle where the bullets struck. Result 
49 hits on 24 dummies. The same target was attacked by a 12-pr. B.L. gun 
firing a 15 1b. experimental shrapnel shell with time and percussion fuze. The 
shell being experimental, the officer in charge of the experiment had no range- 
table nor had he a fuze scale, therefore many of his rounds were used in ranging. 
Range 1850 yards, rounds 20, giving a total of 2200 bullets. Result. 26 hits on 
17 dummies. The infantry fire was most deliberate and took an hour, The 
artillery fire too was slow and took 15 minutes. 
Tabulating these results we find— 
Range about 2: 1 in favour of the artillery. 
Time BAT etal oD 9p % 
Personally, 9 20)2 01 99 99 ” 
No. of bullets 2:1 39 35 22 
fits 132 
Now multiplying these ratios together, as you do to get ‘the resultant of a com- 
bined system of mechanical appliances, we get an advantage of 160 : 1 in favour 
of the field gun (laughter and applause). 
CotoneL G. H. Marsnari.—Gentlemen, the Lecturer, in speaking of the 
Germans, said great stress is always laid upon keeping the whole of the enemy’s 
‘roops under fire, for it is considered that the effect of the enemy’s fire decreases 
50 per cent directly the soldier hears bullets whistling about his own head. This 
calculation must be of course a surmise; but granting it is true I would like to 
know what is the result. I think it comes under the head again of what Captain 
Headlam mentioned; it is merely another form of cover. Ifa General orders his 
artillery to come into action he wishes for some effect; he wishes either the 
enemy” ’s guns to be silenced, or for some crushing concentrated effect upon the 
enemy’s infantry ; ; I do not dink he would be satisfied if he found his artillery 
frittering away their fire and that they were quite satisfied because they were 
receiving 50 per cent less damage. T had hoped that this question had been 
finally settled. Many of us will yecollect the very interesting discussion which 
took place i in this room between an officer who was an exponent of the German 
ideas and the General Officer now commanding this district. 
The Lecturer has put it to us to decide whether we do not spend too much 
time on “spit and polish.” We know that the words “ spit and polish” are used 
by many people as a term of reproach, meaning that the soldier is devoting too 
much time to the appearance of his arms, accoutrements and horses. In this 
matter [ think that the soldier should not be judged differently from the civilian, 
If your coachman brings your carriage and horses to your door with your horses 
badly groomed and everything slovenly turned out you do not commend him or 
raise his wages ; you probably eet rid of him as careless and inefficient. Many 
batteries come under me every year at Okehampton, my experience is that in a 
