ARTILLERY. Projectile arms using gas as a propelling force, and also the troops serv ing these arms. The history of artillery dates from the discovery of gunpowder in the 13th century. Several small guns were in action at the battle of Crecy in 1346. In the French War of Independence against the English, artil lery was in constant use, and in 1428 Joan of Arc is said to have pointed the guns herself. During the 16th century brass guns and cast iron projectiles were adopted throughout Europe, while Tartaglia in Italy made great improvements in gunnery. During the latter part of this century case-shot was invented and shells were fired from mortars. The first half of the 17th century forms an era in the his tory of artillery. Maurice and Henry Fred erick of Nassau made much advancement in it, but it was tinder Gustavus Adolphus that it first began to take its true position on the battle field. He attached two guns to each regiment, and its utility in the Thirty Years' War. During his life he did much to forward the science of artillery, increasing its mobility and its rapidity of fire. The laboratory at Wool wich was established in 1672, and a reorganiza tion of artillery took place in 1682 under Lord Dartmouth. Louis XIV raised in 1671 a regi ment for artillery duty, and in 1690 founded the first artillery schools. The inventions of the elevating-screw, the prolonge and the prim ing-tube filled with powder, were made during his reign.
Prussian artillery was very backward during the first part of the 18th century, and Frederick the Great did not at first place much value upon it. Although it contributed much to his victory at Rossbach, it was usually no match for the well-handled Austrian guns, which fact im pressed him with the importance of giving more attention to this branch. He therefore raised the proportions of guns, and established ry horse-artille in 1759.
After the Seven Years' War the Austrians recognized the importance of artillery in mod ern warfare, and Prince Lichtenstein was com missioned to reorganize it. Frederick was struck with the improvements effected in Aus tria, and strove on his return to build up a complete system, as to both personnel and materiel, making a separate provision for field, siege, garrison and coast artillery. At first his
reforms met great opposition, but in 1776 he became First Inspector-General of Artillery, and was able to carry through his improve ments. French horse-artillery dates from 1791, and the last step in the complete organization of field-artillery was made in 1800, when the establishment of a Drivers' Corps put an end to the old system of horsing by contract. Na poleon introduced the tactical combination with brilliant success. To his wars we first look for instances of the important effects pro duced by this arm in that concentration of fire which in those days was produced only by mass ing guns. After the war of 1870-71, in which French artillery proved itself far inferior to the German, the French made remarkably suc cessful experiments with a view to the intro duction of superior guns. Similar progress has been made by the other great European Powers.
British artillery had greatly deteriorated during the 18th century, and was not up to the standard of other countries, but horse-artillery was formed in 1793, and a Drivers' Corps in troduced the following year. At the commence ment of the 19th century Prussian artillery was powerful rather than mobile; but after the dis asters of 1806-07, this defect was remedied. In 1872 German artillery was reorganized, the field-artillery of each army corps being aug mented to 17 batteries and divided into two regiments. Austrian artillery has always been pre-eminent both in the excellence of its materiel and in tactical handling on the field. Russia won special distinction in the Napole onic wars by the power and good service of its artillery, and has continued to give great atten tion to this arm. Having adopted the breech loading system of Prussia, Russia increased its field-artillery from three to four batteries per division, with 38 batteries of mitrailleuses added.