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104 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
as their name indicates, are the roads leading up to
the positions which are to be attacked, winding
considerably to avoid being taken under enfilading
fire. The parallels may be regarded as defence
works for the approaches, allowing a sufficient
force to be assembled here to withstand the
counter-attacks of the enemy. The number of
parallels depends, of course, on the distance from
the base (or the first parallel) up to the fort and
on the conformation of the ground, but also on
the stubbornness of the defence and the force and
determination of the attacks on the sap-heads.
Hence the distance between the parallels will
give an indication of the more or less resolute
manner in which the defence is carried out. At
Port Arthur there were many parallels.
In old days, before the time of the long-range
guns, where distances were shorter and every-
thing could be done methodically and more
according to rules and to fixed formulas, there
were at any regular, w’ell-conducted siege three
parallels, generally with two or three rows of
approaches leading from one to the other. In
those days guns were usually placed in the paral-
lels in order to be nearer to and more efficacious
against the ramparts they were to batter, so the
parallels had to be quite elaborate, large, and
well-equipped with gun stands, bivouacs, &c.
The sketch will give an idea of the old-time
system.
In our days all this has been changed or modi-
fied. There is no longer such regularity about
the sap works. The windings of the approaches
are generally shorter and closer together, follow-
ing the undulations of the ground regardless of
uniformity or neatness. The guns shoot as well
or better from their positions thousands of yards
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