146 TARGET PRACTICE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



For educating the officers, and the men detailed from the 

 ranks, the usual course of instruction is taken first, and then 

 extended to distances from 600 to 1,500 meters. 



The instructions explain that, as a rule, the distances are 

 estimated too long in the dusk, in cloudy and rainy weather; 

 but, on the contrary, too short in a fine, clear atmosphere, 

 especially if the sun shines on the target; too long over 

 broken ground and along streets, alleys, and roads, but too 

 short over ground sloping away from the observer, over water 

 and over fields. 



The drills for the men at last take the form of direct prep- 

 aration for field shooting. 



FIELD SHOOTING. 



General Rules. — The field shooting must take place 

 under war conditions. 



Field shooting is of two kinds, individual and by detach- 

 ment. 



Individual Field Shooting. — This has for its object, to 

 drill the soldier in adapting the skill acquired in previous 

 drills to the conditions which will occur in the field, to teach 

 him to adjust his aim to the distance, etc., and to take the best 

 possible position for shooting. 



In individual field shooting each man must, therefore, have 

 his target, which, as far as possible, must be similar to those 

 presented in actual warfare. 



The man must be left entirely to himself in the choice of 

 position and aim, but as soon as he has fired one or two shots 

 he should be corrected if necessary, and to this end the shots 

 should be marked. 



These drills are best conducted by platoons. One or more 

 targets are set up for each of the firing points fixed by the 

 leader. Each man in succession must then practice against 

 each of the targets. 



Corrections are made, under the direction of the officer, by 

 the underofficer for each target, who is the score-keeper. 



The leader sees that the drills are made with a definite ob- 

 ject in view. 



After the man has finished shooting, the number and posi- 

 tions of the hits are marked and recorded in his presence. 



Field Shooting in Detachments. — Field shooting in de- 

 tachments is a drill which as far as possible should have the 



