ing. The, right wings are ordered to hair, 
■ i'rout, and when the left wings have gained 
fifteen paces, and have received the word ' 
halt, front, the right wings are instantly or- 
dered to tire, load, face about, and march 
fifteen paces beyond the left ones, where 
they receive the word halt, front, on which 
the left wings lire, & c. and thus alternately 
( proceed. 
It is observed in the official rules and 
regulations, that in addition to the battalion 
■directions, there must be a regulating bat- 
talion named, by the half-battalions of which 
each line will move, halt, and lire : the com- 
mander of each line will be with such half- 
battalion, and in giving his several com- 
mands must have an attention to the general 
readiness of the line, especially after loading, 
that the whole are prepared to step oil’ to- 
gether at the word march. The firing of 
the advanced wing succeeds the march, or 
the halt, front, of the retired wing instantly ; 
and each half-battalion fires independant and 
quick, so that no unnecessary pauses being 
made betwixt the tiring words, the fire of 
the line should be that of a volley as much 
as possible; and the whole being thereby 
loaded together, will be ready for the next 
command of movement. In these firings of 
the line advancing or retiring, the two first 
ranks will lire standing, and the rear rank 
support their arms. 
in this manner also may the alternate bat- 
talions of a line advance or retire, and when 
the whole are to form, and that the last line 
moves up to the lirst, every previous help of 
advanced persons will be given to ensure its 
correctness. 
Fire in line advancing, is when the in- 
fantry marches in line to attack the enemy, 
and in advancing makes use of its fire. On 
these occasions it is better to fire the two first 
ranks only standing, reserving the third, than 
to make the front rank kneel and to fire the 
whole ; but when it is necessary to fire at a 
considerable distance, or on a retiring enemy. 
Volleys may be given by the three ranks, the 
front one kneeling. 
Firing b y platoons, is practised when a 
line is posted, or arrives at a fixed situation. 
In this position, battalions fire independantly 
of one another, and the fire generally com- 
mences from the centre of each. The first 
fire of each battalion must be regular, and at 
* stablished pauses and intervals ; after which 
each platoon may continue to fire as soon as 
it is loaded, independant, and as quick as pos- 
sible. 
Firing by files, is generally used behind 
a parapet, hedge, or abbatis. In this situ- 
ation the two first ranks only can fire, and that 
must be? by the two men of the same file 
always firing together, with coolness and de- 
liberation. W hen, however, the parapet, 
hedge, or abbatis, is but a little raised, pla- 
toon firing may be resorted to. 
Oblique Firing by battalions, or other- 
wise, according to the ground, is extremely 
advantageous when it is found expedient to 
give an oblique direction to part of a line, or 
when it is discovered that their fire can in this 
manner be thrown against the opening of a 
defile, the Hanks of a column, or against ca- 
valry or infantry that direct their attack 
on some particular battalion or portion of the 
hpe. 
Oblique-firing, is either to the right and 
I 
left, or from the right and left to the centre, 
depending entirely on the situation oi the 
object to be tired against. The Prussians 
have a particular contrivance for this pur- 
pose : if they are to level to the right, the 
rear ranks of every platoon are to make two 
quick but small paces to the left, and the 
hotly of each soldier to turn 1-Sth of a circle ; 
and are to take the same distance to the right, 
if they are to level to the left. 
\\ lien a line halts at its points of firing, no 
lime is to be lost in scrupulous dressing, and 
the firing is instantly to commence. But 
when a line halts, and is not to fire, the usual 
dressings must be attended to ; and every 
tiling will depend upon the coolness and at- 
tention of the officers and non-commissioned 
officers. 
It should be observed with respect to fir- 
ings in general, that after the march in front, 
and halt of the battalion, company or platoon 
firing ought invariably to begin from the cen- 
tre, and not from the Hank. In other cases, 
and in successive formations, it may begin 
from whatever division first arrives, and halts 
on its own ground. 
Square-F ikvsg, is that method of firing 
where either a regiment or any body of men 
are drawn up in a square, each front of which 
is generally divided into four divisions or fir- 
ings, and the flanks of the square, as being 
the weakest part, are sometimes covered by 
four platoons of grenadiers who flank the 
angles. The first fire is from the right di- 
vision of each face, the second fire from the 
left division of each face, and so on ; the 
grenadiers making the last fire. 
‘S7rce/-FiRiNG, is the method of firing 
adopted to defend or scour a street, lane, or 
narrow pass of any kind; in the execution 
of which the platoon must bb formed accord- 
ing to the width of the place, leaving suf- 
ficient room on the flanks for the platoons 
which have fired, successively to file round 
to the rear of the others. 
Sh eet- Firin c. advancing. When the co- 
lumn lias arrived at the spot where the firing 
is to commence, the commanding officer 
from the rear gives the word halt; and the 
officer commanding the platoon, orders it to 
make ready, p’sent, fire; recover arms, out- 
wards face (by half-platoons), quick march. 
At the instant the men in the first platoon 
recover their arms after firing, the second 
platoon makes ready, and waits in that po- 
sition till the front is cleared by the first pla- 
toon having filed round the flanks towards 
the rear, when the second advances, with 
recovered arms, until it receives the word 
halt, p’sent, lire. 
As soon as the platoon which has fired, has 
got down the flanks, it must form in front ©f 
the colours, and prime and load. 
Street Firing retiring, is conducted on 
the same principles, except that the platoons 
fire without advancing, ou the front being 
cleared by the former platoon filing round 
the flank. 
Another method of street-firing, advan- 
cing, generally esteemed more eligible, is, 
after firing, to wheel out by subdivisions (the 
pivots having taken a side step to right and 
left outwards), prime and load, and as soon 
as the last platoon has passed, fiie inwards 
and form. 
FIRKIN, an English measure of capacity, 
for things liquid, being the fourth part of the 
- 4 Z 2 
barrel; it contains 8 gallons of ale, soap, or 
herrings; red 9 gallons of beer. 
FIRLOT, a dry measure used in Scot- 
land. The oat-firlot contains 21 ■£- pints of 
that country ; the wheat-firlot contains about 
1211 cubic inches; and the barley-lirlot 
31 standard pints. Hence it appears that 
the Scotch wheat-firlot exceeds the English 
bushel by 33 cubic inches. 
FIRST. A word applied to the upper part 
in a. duet, trio, quartet, &c. either vocal or 
instrumental ; also to the upper part of each 
kind in overtures, symphonies, concertos, 
and other full pieces. Such parts are called 
first, because they generally express the. 
air ; and from their superior acuteness pos- 
sess a pre-eminence in the combined effect. 
In the score the first part always occupies 
the stave immediately above that in which 
the second is written ; the second, the stave 
immediately over that which contains the 
third, and so on. 
FIRST-FRUITS and tenths. % First 
fruits are tiie profits of every spiritual living, 
for one year, and tenths are the tenth part 
of the yearly value of such living, given an- 
ciently to the pope through all Christendom ; 
but by stat. 26 H. VIII. c. 3, translated to- 
the king iiere in England, for the ordering; 
whereof there was a court erected, 32 li. 
VIII. c. 45, but again dissolved anno prinio 
Maria, sess. 2. c. 10. And since that time, 
though these profits are reduced again to 
the crown, by the stat. 1 Eliz. c, 4, yet was 
the court never restored, but. all matter* 
therein wont to be handled, were transferred 
to the exchequer. 
By stat. 26 II. VIII. the lord chancellor, 
bishops, &c. are empowered to examine into 
the value of every ecclesiastical benefice and 
preferment in their several dioceses ; and 
every clergyman entered on his living be- 
fore the first-fruits are paid or compounded 
for, is to forfeit double value. But stat. 1 
Eliz. e. 4, ordains, that if an incumbent on a 
benefice does not live half a year, or is oust- 
ed before the year expires, his executors are 
to pay only a fourth part of the first-fruits; 
and if he lives the year and then dies, or is 
ousted in six months after, but half the first- 
fruits shall be paid ; if a year and a half, three 
quarters of them ; and if two years, then the 
whole; not otherwise. The archbishops and 
bishops have four years allowed for the 
payment, and shall pay one quarter every 
year, if they live so long upon the bishopric: 
other dignitaries in the church, pay theirs in 
the same manner, as rectors and vicars. 
By 27 II. VIII. c. 8, no tenths are to be 
paid for the first year, as then the lirst fruits 
are due; and by several statutes of Anne, if 
a benefice is under fifty pounds pegannum, 
clear yearly value, it shall be discharged of 
the payment of first-fruits and tenths. 
The queen also restored to the church, 
what at first had been thus indirectly taken 
from it, by remitting the tenths and first- 
fruits entirely, but by applying these super- 
fluities of the larger benefices, to make up 
the deficiencies of the smaller; for this pur- 
pose she granted a charter, whereby all the 
revenue of the first-fruits and tenths is vested 
in trustees for ever, to form a perpetual fund 
for the augmentation of poor livings under 
50/. a year. This is usually called queen 
Anne’s bounty, which has been stiff further 
regulated by subsequent statutes : though- it 
