216 CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GUNS AND CAVALRY. 
venture to think that matters want clearing up a little, and therefore 
before I say any more I will be bold enough to put one or two pro- 
positions before you which I regard as vital. 
When guns and cavalry are engaging one another in decisive 
combats— 
(a) Ranges should be decisive. That is to say of not more than 
1500 yards, if possible, and on an emergency considerably 
less (applause). 
(5) Speaking generally, but recognising the principle that the 
arm at the moment most dangerous is the one to attack, 
the objective of both cavalry and guns is the hostile 
cavalry. 
(c) Changes of position are to be avoided, and asa rule one 
decisive position only is to be taken up until the cavalry 
combat has been decided. 
(d) The officer commanding the artillery is on occasions to take 
the initiative, should be separated from the cavalry leader, 
and not hang back waiting for orders (applause). 
It may sound startling to some ears to hear a doctrine as to ranges 
advanced which sacrifices so completely the powers of the gun. For a 
short time other views held the field, but now I think the pendulum is 
tending to swing the other way, and almost all authorities recognise 
the fact that decisive ranges must be sought, otherwise at a critical 
moment the fire of the guns may be masked, their moral effect 
will not be so great as it otherwise might be, and the two arms 
will not work so completely together as they ought. Moreover the 
cavalry fight developes with such rapidity that we want every round to 
be effective, and finally considerations as to the supply of ammunition 
make us chary of wasting even one. Under such circumstances, and 
when we do not intend to enter into a protracted contest with guns at 
all, cover is to be left out of our calculation and we should think only 
of so placing ourselves that we may have the best chance of quickly 
injuring our opponents, and may move off again rapidly if necessary.! 
It is for these reasons that the limbers are put close behind the guns, 
and that we place them so without misgivings in the face of all we know 
as to the deadliness of the modern shrapnel shell. 
Changes of position are to be avoided because they waste precious 
moments. 
Let us now see, gentlemen, how matters are likely to work outa little 
in detail. 
Two divisions or brigades each accompanied in the former case by 
two or three batteries, and in the latter by one, are in contact and mean 
to fight. The country is one suitable for the working of the arms, and 
1 A note from the Diary of Lieutenant Swabey in the Peninsula throws an interesting light on 
this subject :-— 
“ Apropos of Captain Lefebure, remember in coming into action, when cavalry is likely to come 
up unperceived, not to let the limbers of the guns turn, or drive farther from the trail than to admit 
of the gun being worked without the handspike.” See R.A.I. “ Proceedings,” p. 93, Vol. XXII. 
