42 
A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE COVER QUESTION. 
I next come to the criticisms on my remarks about the service moving 
targets. “ Major Keir assumes that the only pace for cavalry on the 
battle-field is the gallop.” 
Yes. When charging batteries. 
Referring briefly to the remainder of the criticisms, I will say once 
for all. My remarks on this subject apply to our regulation method of 
dealing with moving targets. That a cavalry charge, or an infantry 
attack, is at all adequately represented by a few barrels drawn by 
wires towards a battery, or a number of trucks moving along a line of 
rails, which terminate behind a butt, the range of which is well known 
to those who have been to Okehampton year after year, I do not 
admit. 
And my opinion remains, that beyond a useful exercise at practice 
camps in training gunners to work quickly, our moving targets are of 
little real value as a representation of actual attacks by cavalry and 
infantry. The interval that must elapse when passing from battery 
fire to that nature used with separate ranging and shrapnel sections, 
and the lengthy words of command that must travel from one end of a 
battery to the other at a time when quickness is supposed to be of vital 
importance, all tend to stamp it a3 a range makeshift for training 
gunners. 
Captain Headlam is inclined to be severe on the subject of my 
remarks about the f ‘ level plain.” But may I enquire where the 
experiment to which he refers on page 392, line 38— 
“ f One of the great points brought out by the trial of the regulation 
“ method when tested against another proposed by various officers was 
“that f its advantages are especially apparent when the advance of the 
“target is irregular ” and which in his mind appears to have estab¬ 
lished once and for ever the superiority of the regulation method 
over all others, was carried out. If at Shoeburyness, for instance, we 
have a very fair approximation to the “ level plain,” 
Next come the criticisms with regard to moral effect. 
Captain Headlam begins by repeating his actual words. “ If you 
train Field Artillery to consider firing from behind cover as practically 
the rule you will destroy the whole spirit of the arm.” 
In this I quite agree with him, but why have rules at all in a matter 
of this sort; directions by all means. Rules afford cover for weaker 
natures to shelter themselves behind and only hamper stronger ones. 
While directions allow a freer scope for action, encourage initiative 
and foster self-reliance. Had the spirit been inculcated into our officers 
at the time I referred to, I am sure the “ indirect method at 600 yards 
and a perpetual search for cover ” would not have been the result. In 
doing what they did the officers supposed they were following the rules 
of the drill-book. 
Finally, Captain Headlam says :—•“ I should like to ask Major Keir 
where he finds that there is any idea of arbitrarily deciding that direct- 
fire and no other is to be used.” 
The idea sought for is derived from the following facts. 
