SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1895. 339 
will be liable to bombardment either with a view to capture, or of a 
desultory nature; the former is only lhkely to be attempted against 
small fortresses, and differs from the latter only in that being under- 
taken with a definite object it may be expected that it will not be 
abandoned without an effort being made to land storming parties from 
boats. 
Against bombardment the heavy guns will be required, for the boat 
attacks the light guns supplied for general defence will be chiefly used. 
The duties of the defenders will then be :— 
(1.) To man the heavy guns which will be fought by depression 
range-finder or position-finder according to the means 
available. 
(2.) To man the light guns for general defence which must 
usually be fought without the aid of these adjuncts. 
(b.) At Home. The portion of the Artillery Garrison that would 
be left in our home fortresses must be sufficient to man the guns for 
defence against torpedo-boats, and perhaps a few of the heavy guns for 
general purposes. The remainder of the men who are to be employed 
in expeditions abroad will be required to make up the Siege Train which 
must accompany every such expedition if its success is to be insured. 
The duties of the larger part therefore will be to man the Siege Train. 
Abroad. The fortresses abroad must remain in a state of prepared- 
ness to meet any possible attack, but no serious attack need be antici- 
pated. 
(c.) At Home. The defence will be as indicated in (a) but the heavy 
guns required for engaging bombarding vessels may have to be more 
frequently employed, and consequently this form of defence may assume 
a greater importance. 
Abroad. Fortresses abroad according to their situation, strength, 
and the local conditions, influencing the enemy at the time, may be 
subjected to any form of attack ; all purely Naval Attacks on its sea 
faces alone, a properly armed and commanded fortress should be 
capable of repelling, and no really serious danger should threaten it 
until the enemy has landed troops to attack it from the land side. This 
is the point on which the defender’s attention must be concentrated, 
and against such an attack the guns for general defence will not alone 
be sufficient, they must be supplemented by howitzers and siege guns 
of sufficient calibre to cope with the ordnance that the enemy would 
employ, for what virtually become siege operations. 
The defenders therefore will be required to man the different guns 
they possess according to the nature of the attack, but principally to 
fight the ordnance employed to resist attacks from the land side. 
(d.) At Home or Abroad. When the command of the Sea is lost, 
Coast Fortresses wherever situated must if attacked make the best de- 
fence possible. To meet attacks, which are not likely to be made except 
in sufficient force, the whole armament and all the energies of the de- 
Duties of 
Defenders. 
Means of 
Detence. 
Duties of 
Defenders. 
Means of 
Defence. 
Duties of 
Defenders. 
