The United States is the only country to maintain approximately full strength batteries in time of peace. All other nations skeletonize the firing battery for training purposes, impress teams for ammunition supply and maintain re serves. Howitzers enable a division to act in dependently. Before the war of 1914 the Germans with 6.4 guns had the highest per centage per 1,000 rifles; the United States with 3.1 the lowest. Nowadays the proportion is enormously greater in all armies. Artillery can easily keep up with the troops it accompanies. In advancing to position it usually moves at the trot, in occupying position at the walk or trot. It seldom moves at the gallop, but when circumstances require it gallops in line for short distances only. The average march for a battery is 15 to 20 miles per day.
The statement that a battery seen is a bat tery lost still holds true. In the Balkan wars behind the crest are greater mobility, ability to act by surprise, greater field of fire, hostile ob servation made more difficult, ammunition sup ply easier.
A battez occupies a front of 100 yards, a battalion yards, a regiment 900 yards. Light guns are rarely placed in tiers. With howitzers or heavy guns in the second line this may be done. Firing over infantry must be considered as the normal procedure and is not dangerous. The artillery can support the in fantry up to 100 yards from the hostile trenches and on the defense -until the hostile attack ar rives within charging distance. In offensive action the necessity of getting within suitable and effective range of the hostile positions will usually govern.
Early German successes in the European War were due in great measure to the heavy field artillery and its proper handling. The the Bulgarians relied upon long-distance firing. The Serbians usually tried to get within 2,000 yards. At Yenidze-Yardar the Turks held up two Greek divisions by covering a bridge at 6,800 yards. As a rule rather than cross ex posed areas, extreme ranges were used or dark ness was awaited. In order to be able to deliver an effective fire, the artillery must take its chance and not be afraid to suffer losses. On the march, artillery must be placed with a view to security and availability. Artillery is usually not assigned to the advance guard of a force smaller than a brigade. It is not the size but the mission of the command that should determine the strength in artillery. A pursuit will soon resolve itself into attacks on well defined positions which the retreating force de fends to cover the assembly of its march col umns on the roads. A retreating force which
adheres to roads will outdistance a pursuing force advancing across country.
Firing practice and exercises in time of peace have the fault of inculcating false ideas concerning the kinds of positions which artil lery should occupy. Two essential conditions are that the position be within range of the enemy, and that it be possible to lay upon him. Mountain artillery is especially suited to ac company the infantry line. At present artil lery to accompany the infantry line is furnished by the so-called utanks.)) In considering a po sition, protection is secondary to ability to de liver effective fire. Advantages of positions French relied upon their light The Ger man heavy artillery, using aeroplane reconnais sance, was able to destroy entire batteries of u75'sp without themselves suffering any dam age. The lesson is that heavy calibres and good ammunition supply give better support to the infantry, and this means success. The idea that the six-inch howitzer, with its 120-pound pro jectile, was the heaviest needed with an army is, of course, discarded, as well as the idea that the only use of the heavier pieces would be in the destruction of permanent fortifications. Howitzers from 11-inch to 16-inch calibres are now transported with armies in the field and the successes obtained by the Germans and Aus trians on the Eastern front were due in no small measure to the use of these enormous field pieces.
The efield used in the present war may be divided into four great classes: (1) Blight artillery,)) or field artillery proper, which includes all pieces less than about four inches in calibre. These pieces are especially useful in the destruction of wire entangle ments, but are too feeble to damage well con structed dug-outs. (2) of medium calibre," up to about six inches in calibre. This is used for the demolition of the less strongly constructed dugouts. (3) eHeavy artillery of great power,)) including such weapons as howitzers and mortars, which are used to de molish the strongest trench structures. (4) 'Heavy artillery of long range,* to destroy the enemy's artillery, which is placed far back of the hostile line. The order given is the ap proximate order of the batteries from front to rear.