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Ancient Siege Engines in Warfare
' What is most to be valued in a catapult is the certainty of its effect
and the directness of its aim. One can rely upon shooting the stones to
the desired point, for there is no cause which can make a catapult shoot
to a greater or a less distance, or to aim at one time more or less exactly
than at another when it is at the same degree of elevation and tension.
It is not so with our mortars, on account of the different effects or qualities
of the powder : for although powder is the same in appearance it is not
so in its effects. One barrel is never the same as another barrel. Powder
is never just the same in quality and strength.
' The catapult has, besides, an infinite number of advantages over mortars.
We can by different inclinations place a catapult so that its stone can
be thrown exactly where we wish, which is what we cannot be sure of doing
with our mortars.
' Another very great advantage is that catapults and such engines make
no noise. Now, one is warned by the noise of the mortars and can pretty
well judge what the swivel-gun is about; but by night or by day one cannot
tell whether the catapult has or has not shot off its stone.
'This kind of engine is even more advantageous in a besieged place.
It is not necessary that it should be placed on the ramparts, and it is
rarely that it need be in a position to receive the shots aimed at it.
Besides this, the besieged are able to have larger engines than the besiegers
and to throw weights of enormous bulk that are able to break the galleries
and greatly retard the building of trenches, which drives the besiegers
to infinite precaution and compels them to continue their work from under
cover.
' The crossbow was infinitely deadly and more effective than our gun
; its aim more certain and precise and its strength at least equal. If
we had not introduced the bayonet at the end of the gun, which constitutes
almost all the advantage of this arm, the crossbow would have far surpassed
it. I do not, however, wish to treat the gun with contempt, as it is of
utility in combats where •it is impossible to have a large area as in assaults
and offensive attacks.' |
