8 
- These figures will probably be much exceeded in future, and the probable 
amount has been estimated at— 
Preliminary engagements andinvestment ... .,. 1000 tons. 
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39 
11000 tons. 
This would give from 1000 to 1200 rounds per piece, of which 200 to 300 rounds 
would form the first instalment which should form part of the equipment of the 
siege-train and accompany the guns themselves. 
Both for the arming of the batteries for the heavier natures and for the supply 
of ammunition, a light railway is an indispensable adjunct to the matériel of each 
section of a siege-train. The want of it was severely felt by the Germans at the 
siege of Paris. On the 9th November, 1870, 45000 quintals (of about 100 lbs.) 
were wanting to complete the first supply of ammunition for the siege batteries, 
this had to be brought up by cart from Nanteuil to Villa Coublay, 4 days’ journey 
—8 days for going and returning—allowing 15 quintals per cart, this would have 
taken 1000 carts 24 days to accomplish, instead of that only 500 or 600 were 
available and the roads were so bad that they could only take from 10 to 12 
quintals each. Eventually 1500 carts had to be procured from Germany to com- 
plete the transport. Nevertheless, when after the fall of Tssy and Vanves the 
question arose whether the regular siege of the enceinte could be undertaken. 
General Hohenlohe declared that it would be possible if a railway were placed at 
the absolute disposal of the artillery, otherwise the attack would fail for want of 
ammunition. 
The French have adopted for their siege-train equipment the Péchot railway 
23°4” onage, average load for a train 30 tons net; putting the distance between 
the nearest point of the railway system and the park at 12 miles and allowing 6 
hours for each double journey including loading and unloading, or 4: journeys per 
24 hours one train could bring up 120 tons a day, and witha double line 4 or 5 
trains could be worked simultaneously. 
Action.—The attack on the advanced line is virtually a deliberate attack on a 
strongly intrenched position. Several distinct points of attack should be chosen 
so as to oblige the defenders to distribute their means of defence and to keep them 
as long as possible in ignorance of the face or section of the main line it is intended 
to attack. 
The special light siege-train, which can follow the active army at a day’s march 
distance, would be used in this phase in addition to the field artillery with the army, 
defensive works would be destroyed by indirect and curved fire from light 
howitzers and mortars, placed in positions as far as possible concealed from the view 
of the permanent works. Direct fire from light siege and field guns would be used 
to clear the infantry trenches. 
The advanced line taken, the front to be attacked must be decided on, the main 
sections of the siege-train must now be brought up and placed in position. From 
the very commencement, certain batteries must be told off for the duty of inter- 
rupting the communications along the railways and roads which radiate from or 
encircle the central nucleus—indirect fire from medium or heavy howitzers or rifled 
mortars with high explosive shell would be best adapted for this work. 
The first important duty of the siege batteries would be to silence the long range 
guns of the forts in the section of the main line under attack. As these guns will 
probably be mounted in armoured towers, curved fire from heavy howitzers or 
mortars with high explosive shell must be used against them, ‘This was demon- 
