Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/121

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ARTILLERY.
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ARTILLERY CORPS.

American, there was little occasion for the tactical use of artillery. In general, the Boer modern long-range, quick-firing gun was superior to the older type of gun used by the English.

Little has been said of sea-coast artillery in the above historical sketch, as its scientific development, in which the United States has taken a prominent part, was commenced only during the last years of the Nineteenth Century. The modern weapons of artillery are now such complicated and complete pieces of mechanism that the various groups can best be considered when treated by themselves, and accordingly the reader is referred to the articles Coast Artillery; Field Artillery; Guns, Naval; Horse Artillery; Howitzers; Machine Guns; Mortars; Mountain Artillery; Ordnance; and Siege Guns; in which will be found illustrated descriptions of most forms of modern ordnance.

Bibliography. Wagner, Organization and Tactics (New York, 1895); Grosse, Military Antiquities (London, 1801); Owen, Modern Artillery (London, 1873); Lloyd and Hadcock, Artillery: Its Progress and Present Position (Portsmouth, 1893); Birkhimer, Historical Sketch of the Artillery, United States Army (Washington, 1884); Birnie, "Gun-Making in the United States," in Journal of Military Service Institution (Governor's Island, 1891); Jerram, The Armies of the World (London, 1889); and Drill Regulalions for Coast Artillery, United States Army. For the organization of artillery, and its relation to the other arms of a modern army, see Army Organization, and for a description of the tactics governing artillery see Tactics, Military; Siege and Siege Works; Fortification; and Coast Defense; for a discussion of the theory of various artillery weapons, see Ballistics and Gunnery; for the construction and the mechani- cal details of different forms of cannon, see Ordnance. See also Projectiles; Fuze; Primer; Ammunition; Range and Range-finder; Explosives; and Gunpowder. The article Armies gives the proportion of artillery in the various modern armies.


ARTILLERY, PARK OF. A name applied to a collection of guns, in camp or barracks. In action or siege, the guns are parked out of reach of the enemy's fire when not in use themselves. The name is collective in that it covers the whole force and equipment necessary and essential to the working of field or siege guns. The equip- ment of a gun-park consists of reserve guns and carriages, ammunition wagons and caissons, im- plements, and material necessary for repairing and completing equipments, and harness-stores, field-forges, etc. The personnel consists of the officers and men of the batteries, smiths, wheel- wrights, saddlers, armorers, drivers, and other artificers and laborers.


ARTILLERY CAR'RIAGES, Artillery car- riages are of two classes: First, gun-carriages, designed so as to enable cannon to be transported thereon or fired therefrom. Of this class those for the sea-coast guns are fixed in position. Sec- ond, carriages designed for the transportation of material or ammunition necessary for use of the guns or field-carriages. Artillery carriages and gun-mounts will be found discussed at consider- able length in the articles Ordnance and [[The New International Encyclopædia/Guns, Naval,|Guns, Naval,]] where the various mountings and ap- paratus for the firing and transport of modern cannon are described in connection with the mechanical features of the guns themselves. The field-carriages are the gun-carriage and its limber; the caisson and its limber; the com- bined forge and battery wagon, with its lim- ber. The limber (q.v.) is a two-wheeled vehicle, upon which the front bearing is given to the after-carriage, and to which the draught-horses are attached. The caisson (q.v.) is a vehicle for the transportation of a reserve supply of ammunition. The combined forge and battery wagon is a vehicle for the transportation of tools necessary in making repairs for the ordnance material in the field. See also Artillery; Coast Artillery; Field Artillery; Machine Guns; Siege Guns; and Horse Artillery.


ARTILLERY COM'PANY, Ancient and Honorable, of Boston. The oldest regularly organized military company in America, dating from 1637, and formed on the model of the Honorable Artillery Company of London. In the early days of the colony it was a purely military organization, composed of the leading citizens of Boston and adjacent towns, and al- ways ready for service. The military organiza- tion is still preserved, but the functions of the corps are now more or less social, though regular drills are still held at its armory in Faneuil Hall. A history of this command has been pre- pared, four volumes of which have already been published.


ARTILLERY COMPANY, Honorable. The oldest existing volunteer corps in Great Britain, and the model on which the Boston organization of similar name (see Artillery Company, Ancient and Honorable) was formed. It had its origin in 1537, in the days of the Tudor sov- ereigns of England, and is closely rivaled in point of antiquity by the Yeomen of the Guard, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the corps of Gentlemen Pensioners. The beginnings of the modern ar- tillery school may clearly be seen in the patent forming the company, which, in 1537, Henry VIII. granted to three persons, appointing them overseers of the "Science of Artillery" for long- bows, crossbows, and hand-guns. The city of London has always taken great pride in the or- ganization, which, curiously enough, is the only body of British troops, not regulars, permitted to parade in London streets with bayonets fixed. Until 1840 the members elected their own officers. Since then they have been crown appointments, made on the nomination of the lieutenancy of the city of London.


ARTILLERY CORPS, k<5r. The artillery arm of an army. Its function and position in the organization of an army is discussed in the article Army Organization. In the United States Army, the regimental organization of the artillery was discontinued by act of Congress, approved February 2, 1901, and the entire arm was designated as the Artillery Corps, This corps was divided into two branches, viz., Coast Artillery, charged with the care and use of the fixed and movable elements of land and coast fortification, including the submarine mine and torpedo defenses; and Field Artillery, defined as that part which accompanies an army in the field, including field and light artillery, horse-artillery, siege-guns and mortars, and also machine-guns. The Secretary of War may, however, order coast