582 
RECONNAISSANCE BY ARTILLERY. 
The whole reconnaissance has been rapidly executed (at a mean rate 
from five to six miles an hour. To do this, horses have had to be 
bustled. Country requiring few remarks has been crossed at a gallop. 
The flankers have covered much ground. Long signal messages have 
been avoided. All long messages have been sent by mounted orderlies. 
At or near ALUNDI the C.O. halts. All patrols are on the river. 
They are examining and reporting on it. 
The first sketch and reports come in from the right (Lieut. B/s 
patrol). The C.O. notes time thereon, reads it and in his own report 
makes remarks on the information received. 
The reports and sketches from the centre and left come in, in due 
time. In perusal of these reports, the C.O. perceives the ford at 
MOSHI has not been fully enough reported. The bed of the river, 
is not stated if practicable for guns or not. The depth is not noted. 
The information is incomplete; mounting his horse, the C.O. proceeds 
to MOSHI. The delay causes the time of the whole report to be de¬ 
layed. The smart work done by Lieut. B., is partially neutralised by 
the imperfect work of Lieut. A. The information is obtained. 
The whole Reconnaissance is now complete. The information 
obtained is very complete. There are several “ elevations ” of Bridges, 
and free-hand sketches of ground viewed from certain positions. 
The ranges appear accurate. The information relative to transport 
and supplies seems ample. 
The C.O. finishes his own remarks noting the time thereon, and de¬ 
spatches the whole of the sketches and reports to the Adjutant, R.A. 
The C.R.A. is able to hand to the G.O.C. of the division, full infor¬ 
mation of 50 square miles of country, which has been collected in a 
few hours. 
A circular memorandum on the subject was issued with the following 
instructions:— 
(a.) The reconnaissance and sketching of batteries to be carried 
out on the lines indicated in “ Cavalry Drill,” Section 8, 
Part V., which with slight adaptations could easily be 
carried out by Artillery. 
(A) The Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of each battery 
(under the Battery Commanding Officer) being required 
to execute a reconnaissance and sketches with some definite 
object—working on a front, say, 4 or 5 miles (each 
Section working parallel and in communication with each 
other). 
The object should be primarily an Artillery one, i.e., made 
with a view to the advance or retirement of Artillery— 
not less than a Brigade Division,—its positions, the places 
where likely to be attacked, &c., &c., in addition to the 
details, concerning the reconnaissance of a country, laid 
down in Section XI., Text-Book of Military Topography. 
(c.) 50 square miles per day should be covered and reported upon 
by the Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of each 
Battery, and the whole should be done in one day. 
