the fact that the human error is greatly reduced by being concentrated in the person of a single individual, instead of being spread over some 50 men of varying temperament, nerves, and aiming powers.
In addition to these factors, the fire from machine guns is always "collective" and "concentrated" unless deliberately dispersed by the firer, while infantry fire is always "individual" and "dispersed" unless controlled by fire discipline under a leader. Fire discipline and fire control are in the hands of one man—there is no need to point out the target to a scattered firing line, and there is no delay in passing orders down the line, or in the setting of 50 different sights for the correct elevation. Thus fire can be opened far more rapidly and accurately than with rifles, and can be at once directed on a fresh target without ceasing fire, while the effect can be seen by the firer, who can instantly change the rate or cease fire altogether.
The beaten zone is perhaps the most important factor in obtaining effective fire, and the following table, compiled from Musketry Regulations, 1909, gives the zone beaten by 75 per cent. at four ranges.
RANGES
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|Zone containing 75 per cent of shots (effective zone).
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| 500 yards. |1,000 yards. |1,500 yards. |2,000 yards.
+-+-+-+- Depth | 150 yds. | 70 yds. | 60 yds. | 50 yds. Lateral Dispersion| 4 ft. | 8 ft. | 13 ft. | 19 ft. +-+-+-+-
