GERMANY. 115 



the pointing. Three such exercises are given to each com- 

 petitor, and the final classification is based on standing in 

 both competitions, ties, if any, being decided by superiority 

 in the pointing at hostile guns. 



Insignia are given to privates in their first year of service, 

 including one-year volunteers, who have shown skill in point- 

 ing, and to noncommissioned officers and reenlisted men who 

 are distinguished for skill and intelligence in the field firing. 

 The latter are in eight classes, being promoted to a superior 

 class every year. Soldiers who receive their insignia dis- 

 charge the functions of gunner while in service and are can- 

 didates for appointment as noncommissioned officers. The 

 badge for skill in field firing is a silver grenade and is the 

 highest class of badge worn. Men who win badges as pointers 

 or gunners receive certificates to that effect, and the fact is 

 noted in their records and on their discharge papers. 



FOOT ARTILLERY. 



The foot artillery manning land fortresses has annual 

 target practice on the artillery jjractice grounds, conducted 

 on the same principle as that of the field artillery. The 

 objects fired at are permanent works, masonry revetments 

 or targets representing such works, siege batteries, etc. 

 Competitions for gunners' prizes are held as in the field 

 artillery. 



FIRING SCHOOLS, RANGES, ETC. 



The infantry firing school at Spandau (northwest of Berlin) 

 is under the supervision of the inspection of infantry schools, 

 and is designed especially for the training of infantry in com- 

 bat firing, though for the last few years cavalry has also 

 received training here. Spandau is a large fortress, and, in 

 addition to its instructional uses, is a great center of army 

 supplies, an experimental and testing station for all kinds of 

 small arms and machine-guns, and is designed for a refuge 

 for the archives, treasure, and court. The imperial war 

 treasure is kept here, which is intended to meet the first 

 expenses of mobilization in case of war. 



The school staff consists of 1 colonel or lieutenant colonel 

 in command; he has a lieutenant as aid, a field officer, 4 cap- 

 tains, and 8 lieutenants, and an instruction company of non- 

 commissioned officers of Prussian, Saxon, and Wurttemberg 

 infantry. Among the instruction courses carried on here 



