60 TARGET PRACTICE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



The material and the methods at these garrison ranges are, 

 from onr point of view, rather crude, though it is to be said 

 that at the great permanent camps where the infantry, as 

 well as the artillery, get their best exercises in shooting, the 

 arrangements are much better. The work there done, in the 

 matter of actual combat practice on varied ground, with 

 whole companies and battalions moving forward and shoot- 

 ing as in battle, is much greater than we have ever seen in 

 America. 



As a rule each garrisoned town has its permanent target 

 range, used throughout the year not only by the infantry and 

 other troops stationed there, but by the gendarmery, the 

 customs and forest guards (douaniers and forestiers), the ter- 

 ritorial regiments, and shooting clubs. The latter are gener- 

 ally organized among territorial regiments and consist wholly 

 of territorials, or partly of these and partly of civilians ; these 

 clubs are encouraged by the military authorities in every way, 

 ranges lent them, arms and ammunition furnished or sold at 

 cost, prizes awarded, etc. 



These ranges are rarely more than 600 meters long, and 

 collective practice on them is generally out of the question. 

 A range is not considered a good one that is less than 1,000 

 meters long by 100 wide, and permitting of all the firings 

 except the combat exercises. When a garrison has no per- 

 manent range, or it is too small, or circumstances render an 

 additional one advantageous and obtainable, use is made of 

 the occasional or temporary range. This is simply a large 

 tract of land safe for shooting, and placed temporarily at the 

 disposition of the troops (generally in the fall, after the crops 

 are in) by the commune, or hired from the owners. No butts 

 or shelters are ever constructed on such land, and the few 

 trenches that may be dug are filled in at the close of the 

 practice. Such a range is required to be 2,000 by 500 meters 

 for the actual maneuvers of the troops using it, and it must, 

 of course, besides this, present the necessary features of 

 security. On these ranges all the combat pra'ctices, even for 

 a battalion in action, can often be held, and at very small, or 

 no expense to the government. 



CAMPS OF INSTRUCTION AND SHOOTING. 



A short account of these camps would seem to be of interest 

 here. They are primarily intended for the target practice of 



