CASUALTY RETURNS OF THE GERMAN ARTILLERY. 539 
The following table shows the maximum loss under the various 
headings sustained by any individual battery in the three battles; 
combined with this is shown the average loss per battery under the 
same heading :-— 
Tasie I. 
Comparative table of maxima and average casualties. 
At the battles ae g Ee 3 gi | 3 g 
es 8 5 Be S co | S) 
) Co 
! Maxima | 29 28 315 6 1 3 nil 
Colombey  ... =f average 5 6 109 23 04 HW 15 
ee ' Maxima 47 78 1148 8 1 4, 4. 
BMGT ATNEY.c0 00g { average | 19 26 531 5 027| +35 16 
De Maxima | 48 101 965 | 16 1 6 1 
Gravelotte v ; averago 8 13-4 | 299 19 “02 26 02 
Mean for the three ( Maxima 41 69 809 10 1 4:3 107 
battles average 1 15 313 31 029 27 ‘06 
a 
An analysis of the above table shows that the battle—viz. Mars-la- 
Tour—which attained the highest average in losses to personnel and 
horses as well as in rounds fired, also arrived at the closest approxi- 
mation between its average and maxima casualties under these headings, 
a pretty good indication of the general severity of the Artillery fight 
as well as of its intensity at a critical point. 
The number of case shot expended strikes one as very small, 
whether we look to the maximum number—16—fired by any one 
battery throughout the three battles, or at the highest average per 
battery—‘o——attained ; when we further note that the next highest 
expenditure in any one battery was only 8, the conclusion seems 
irresistible that it is almost a wicked luxury to allow more than 2 case 
per sub-division as the equipment of a battery. 
This question of case is a somewhat serious one, inasmuch as we are 
fully aware that in order to provide for the exceptional circumstances 
in which case would be required, we are obliged under normal conditions 
to burden ourselves with a projectile which in all probability we may 
never use. We are, however, willing to accept this irksome necessity 
for the simple reason, that if the exceptional circumstances should 
arise, the fate of the battery will absolutely depend upon the rapid 
firing of a few rounds of this projectile. 
An examination of the conditions under which these battles were 
fought will, however, show how dangerous it would be to accept 
these figures as any guide for the number of rounds of case to 
be carried with the battery; in the first place these battles were 
offensive fights on the part of the Germans, and the occasions 
upon which a resort to case had to be made, consequently rare ; 
