These redoubts and battery would form, besides, excellent points of support for the exterior reserve, which is intended to check the enemy at the moment of his trying to leave the village.

Supposing each soldier to excavate 15 cubic feet of earth per working hour, 4 hours 8 minutes would be wanted to form the trenches in the intervals between the redoubts and on the flanks of the village.

In the same space of time redoubts having the profile of the batteries at Sadowa (Pl. 1, Fig. 8) could be constructed.

Should it be foreseen that we have a whole day at our disposal, we should give the redoubts either the profile A B, Pl. 5, or else one of those represented in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, Pl. 6.

To the trenches we should give the profile shown shaded in Fig. 4, Pl. 5, or that represented in Fig. 1, Pl. 6. The excavation of the ditch e f g h of the profile in Fig. 4, Pl. 5, would take II hours 31 minutes, which time could be reduced by one third, and in some cases even by one half, if the workmen be frequently relieved.1

The profile in Fig. 1, Pl. 6, permits of three men being employed excavating per lineal mètre (34 ft.), that is to say :-Two in the trench, which is 25' 11" wide, the one excavating a strip 10' 2" wide, to furnish the earth for the covering mass X, the other a strip of 15′ 9′′ to provide the earth for the glacis Y, and the third man in the abatis trench, excavating the earth necessary for the mound Z. The first would, then, dig up 114 cubic feet, the second 1844, and the third 982.

Calculating the time according to the work of the second digger, who has most earth to excavate, and supposing each digger to clear away 15 cubic feet per hour, about twelve hours are wanted to excavate the profile in Fig. 1, Pl. 6, eight

'The dimensions of the profile abcdefgh in Fig. 4 are calculated on the supposition that there is no increase. If we suppose that there is an increase of the parapet of the trench will be 5′ 58′′ thick, instead of 5′ 3′′, and that of the intrenchment 4′ 44′′ instead of 3′ 3'4". The same remark applies to the dimensions of the profiles in Pl. 6.

hours if the workmen are frequently relieved, and six hours if they are besides urged on by imminent danger.

In order that the defence of the intrenchments and redoubts which compose the outer enceinte of the village may be effectual, it is necessary that there should be a certain clear space between these works and the mass formed by the houses, hedges, and other enclosures.

Besides, the important condition must be satisfied of not impeding the march of the troops when they are about to take the offensive.

For this purpose the road A, which enters the front of the village, should be left clear, and also the road D, which enters its right flank.

As for the cross-road C, which enters on the left, it may be reached from the outside by going along the line of abatis.

All the streets in the village, with the exception of A, B, and D, should be barricaded.

To reinforce, if necessary, the riflemen occupying the outer enceinte (trenches or field-works), posts of support a, a, a, a, should be established in trenches, or behind houses and enclosure walls, situated near the points to which the supports would have to repair in case of attack.

To facilitate the retreat of these detachments, paths should be opened across hedges and enclosures, as shown by the dotted lines. These paths should lead to the spot occupied by the interior reserve.

When the villages are large this reserve is subdivided.

In the case under consideration it would occupy the churchyard b and the public square c, which adjoins it.

The churchyard walls should be loopholed, and in the lefthand corner two pieces of ordnance should be posted to enfilade part of the road A.

The church itself should be made defensible. When it is to be evacuated the troops occupying it would retire by the road

B, so as not to mask the fire of the battery f, which enfilades the road A.

In order to detain the enemy as long as possible in the principal street, the strongest houses should be manned with riflemen, and carriages, harrows, and other articles fit to form barricades quickly should be collected near these houses.

The exterior reserve, composed of three battalions of Infantry and four squadrons of Cavalry, should place one part of its troops behind the village, and the rest behind the little wood. (See the sketch, Fig. 1, Pl. 9.)

When the troops occupying the intrenchments can no longer resist, they would retreat behind the hedges and enclosures which form the outer border of the village, would fire thence with the assistance of the supports (which are intended chiefly to reinforce the line of riflemen), would subsequently retire by the paths across the gardens, and would then join the interior reserve. This latter should defend itself foot by foot with the greatest obstinacy.

The exterior reserve would come up at this juncture, either to repulse the troops about to assault the réduit to arrest the columns leaving the village, or to attack in flank those trying to turn it.

2nd Case.

Let us suppose that a village has to be fortified which is crossed by a stream serving as a line of defence for a winter quarter. (See Fig. 2, Pl. 9.)

The ground beyond the stream rises rapidly up to the plateau M N, which commands the space covered by the buildings.

It is evident, at first sight, that this plateau must be occupied to make the defence of the village at all possible.

We should construct the redoubts 1 and 2 there, the faces of which would be so disposed as to sweep the roads A and B, and the slopes of the ground. The trees bordering these roads should De cut down, and in front of the village a line of abatis should