mobility and manoeuvring power. Its value may be said, in general terms,
to lie in augmenting the weak fire-power of the mounted troops, and in
facilitating their work as much as possible. Thus, when cavalry meets
serious opposition in reconnoitring, the guns may be able to break down
the enemy's resistance without calling for assistance from the main body
of the cavalry, and, in the action of cavalry _versus_ cavalry, the
"paramount duty of the horse artillery is to shatter the enemy's
cavalry" (_Field Artillery Training_, 1906), i.e. to "prepare" the
success of the cavalry charge by breaking up as far as possible the
enemy's power of meeting it. In the cavalry battle, covering fire is
practically impossible, owing both to the short distances separating the
combatants and to the rapidity of their movements, but steps are taken
"to enable all the guns to bear on the enemy's cavalry at the points of
collision." The ideal position for the horse artillery is out to a
flank, the cavalry manoeuvring so as to draw the enemy's cavalry under
enfilade fire, and at the same time to force them to mask the fire of
their own horse artillery. Another and a most important function of the
horse batteries is to reinforce, with the greatest possible speed, any
point in the general line of battle which is in need of artillery
support. For this reason the corps artillery generally includes horse
batteries.