They seem to have relied on doing this with us, but
they have not done so, though it has taken them several costly
experiments to discover this fact.
From statements of prisoners it appears that they have been greatly
disappointed by the moral effect produced by their heavy guns, which,
despite the actual losses inflicted, has not been at all commensurate
with the colossal expenditure of ammunition, which has really been
wasted. By this it is not implied that their artillery fire is not good;
it is more than good--it is excellent. But the British soldier is a
difficult person to impress or depress, even by immense shells filled
with a high explosive which detonate with terrific violence and form
craters large enough to act as graves for five horses.
The German howitzer shells are from 8 to 9 inches in calibre, and on
impact they send up columns of greasy black smoke. On account of this
they are irreverently dubbed "coal boxes," "black Marias," or "Jack
Johnsons" by the soldiers. Men who take things in this spirit are, it
seems, likely to throw out the calculations based on the loss of morale
so carefully framed by the German military philosophers.
A considerable amount of information has been gleaned from prisoners.
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