Besides other purposes, inclined blindages
serve to cover the doors of powder-magazines, the
entrance from the ditch into a postern, or to
form places of security for troops; and particu-
larly along the front of attack, and the col-
lateral fronts, as the troops stationed under
the blindages being at a short distance from the
attacks, can rapidly advance to any spot where
they may be required. Dry ditches afford a con-
venient situation for blindages of this kii.d, on ac-
count of the facility which they. give of fixing
the timber against the revetments; but it is still
preferable to construct the blindages along such

E 2



202 ON THE ATTACK AND

walls as may happen to support inwardly portions
of the rampart. In short any walls properly si-
tuated, and which are sufficiently strong to sup-
port the blindages, may be employed for this pur-
pose.
It is to be observed that inclined blindages
should generally face towards that «ide where
they will be the most secure from the enemy's di-
rect fire.
An inclined blindage may also be advantage-
ously made against the exterior walls of a build-
ing interiorly secured by a horizontal blindage, ^
as besides its utility in other respects, it will af-
ford a safe communication round the building;
as well as the means of establishing under cover
of the blindage temporary fire-places similar to
those which the French call cuisines de cam-
pagne. Passages about 2 feet 6 inches wide
should be left from distance to distance between
the pieces of timber which form the blindage, be-
ing placed opposite such parts of the walls as do
not contain either a door, or a window.
