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posal of the foot artillery to enable them to take part in the grand mancuvres in 
the same manner as the other troops. 
Shortly after the publication of this pamphlet, the chancellor of the Empire 
presented his military budget to the Reichstag, in which he estimated for 17 
groups of teams of horses intended-for the exercises of foot artillery. This pro- 
position was modified by the Reichstag, and the foot artillery at present has 
nominally at its disposal only 88 horses, which are attached to infantry battalions. 
It is probable, however, that the German Head-quarter Staff has taken some steps 
to procure the horses which have been refused by the Reichstag—at any rate the 
formation of groups of teams has only been deferred in all probability for a time. 
In fact the matériel intended for batteries of foot artillery with horsed-carriages 
is, if not actually constructed, at any rate settled in its principal details, and there 
is little doubt that the troops will henceforward be exercised in its use, so as not 
to be behindhand in the duties, which will devolve upon them in time of war. 
The armament of these heavy batteries, which we will henceforth call datteries 
@armée, in accordance with an expression much used in the military press, com- 
prises at present three distinct pieces of ordnance, viz., the heavy, steel-barrelled 
gun of 12 centimetres (5°7 inches); the shell-gun of 15 centimetres (6 inches) ; 
and the steel-barrelled mortar of 21 centimetres (8°83 inches). 
The heavy 12° gun is of bronze with a central tube of nickel steel, which has 
been added to increase the resistance of the tube against the destructive effects of 
the obus-torpille bursting in the bore. It fires two kinds of projectiles, an obus- 
torpille, and a shrapnel, and is provided with double-action fuzes. It is mounted 
on a wheeled carriage with limber. 
The shell-gun of 15¢ which has lately replaced the 15¢ mortar and the 15¢ short 
gun in the armament of the foot artillery, is a new steel piece, firing a shell of 
about 4.0 lb, weight, with a slow burning double-action fuze. 
The third piece of ordnance is the 21° bronze mortar with steel tube, which 
throws a shell weighing 145 lbs, It is used with a percussion fuze and has a large 
bursting charge. 
To organize batteries with these pieces, provision must be made for the transport 
of equipment, of wood for platforms, &c, For this purpose, the Germans have 
made use of old-pattern wagons, suitably adapted for the new service for which 
they are intended. They are light enough to be able to follow field-troops with- 
out much difficulty. 
From the preceding details, the part which these heavy batteries are intended 
by the Germans to play on the field of battle, may be conjectured; and although 
no official document has been issued on the subject, a perusal of the military press 
will give us an approximate idea. It is evident that the Germans cherish the 
hope that curved fire will play an important part in the battles of the future, and 
if we examine more attentively the properties of the three pieces of ordnance which 
we have just described we shall see well enough what is the rdle reserved for each 
of them. 
Of all the heavy mobilised batteries, those which are armed with the 15¢ shell- 
gun will probably play the principal part. This piece, which is lighter than the 
others, seems intended by nature to support an attack. It can, at a pinch, be 
drawn by six heavy draught horses, at any rate over made roads and at a slow 
pace; and it has a powerful projectile which would do serious damage to field 
works. If, however, this gun is not powerful enough to destroy the defender’s 
shelter-works and to shake his moral, recourse would be had to the 21¢ mortar, 
which, however, being much less portable, could be only sparingly employed. 
The use of the heavy 12° gun is more difficult to lay down, as none of the Ger- 
man military writers seem to look upon its employment as permanent. It is a 
direct firing gun and will probably be employed on the defensive, when curved fire 
