An iron gun should sustain twelve hundred discharges, at the rate of twelve an hour; but whatever may be the rate of fire, it is deemed unsafe after that number of discharges. As many as twenty an hour have been made for sixteen consecutive hours.
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PART I. SECTION VIII.
ON FIELD GUNS AND BATTERIES.
1. What proportion of artillery should be allotted to an army in the field?
The proportion of artillery to other troops varies generally between the limits of one and three pieces to 1,000 men, according to the strength of the army, the character of the troops composing it, the strength and character of the enemy, the nature of the country which is to be the theatre of the war, and the character and objects of the war.
2. What regulates the selection of the kinds of artillery and the proportion of the different kinds in the train?
Similar considerations to those specified in the foregoing answer. The following principles may be observed in ordinary cases:
| 3 pieces to 1,000 men. |  | ⅔ guns, of which |  | ¼ are 12-pdrs. |
| ¾ “ 6-pdrs. | ||||
| ¼ “ 24 or 32-pdrs. | |||
| ⅓ howitz., of which | ¼ are 12-pdrs. |
3. What is a field-battery?
A certain number of pieces of artillery so equipped as to be available for attack or defense, and capable of accompanying cavalry or infantry in all their movements in the field.