NOTES 
FROM 
CORRESPONDING MEMBERS. 
THE MURIDKI CAMP. 
Speech by Loud Roberts. 
After witnessing the manoeuvres at the Muridki Camp, the Commander-in-Chief 
delivered an interesting address to the Royal Artillery. He said :—As this is 
the last opportunity I shall have of addressing the Royal Artillery at a practice 
camp in India, I should like to include in my remarks all branches of the Regi¬ 
ment. Commencing then with you, soldiers of the Royal Horse and Field 
Artillery, present or absent, I must tell you the satisfaction it has afforded me to 
note the general improvement in shooting, as shown by the figure of merit, 
which amounted to '555 last season as against ’486 the previous year. This is 
due in part to your understanding the 12-pr. gun better, but also in a great 
measure to the admirable manner in which all ranks have worked. The Horse 
Artillery in particular have gone a long way up the list, and this year I am glad 
to find there is a still further improvement. This is especially gratifying to me 
after the warning I felt myself obliged to give when I last addressed you. I 
trust that this improvement will continue, and that in addition to being able to 
shoot with greater accuracy, you will strive to shorten the time now required to 
come into action. This is all important, for, as I have said before, the Artillery 
which soonest brings effective shrapnel fire to bear on its adversary will gain an 
advantage, the value of which it is impossible to over-estimate. Since last year 
we have been endeavouring to get rid of the common shell for the 12-pr. bat¬ 
teries, on the assumption that it is comparatively harmless against troops and 
quite useless as a portable mine for the destruction of earthworks, and that at all 
reasonable distances the burst of shrapnel can be observed with sufficient exact¬ 
ness to admit of ascertaining the range. The advantage of having but one 
projectile in a battery will be appreciated by all artillerymen, and, I believe, being- 
able to fire throughout with shrapnel, will add considerably to the fighting- 
efficiency of the Royal Regiment. The change will assuredly be introduced before 
long, but financial exigencies necessitate our continuing to use for the present a 
certain proportion of common shell. I hope, too, that we shall have in the near 
future a gun better fitted for Horse Artillery than the present 12-pr., which, 
splendid gun as it is, is too heavy for rapid movement. Its defects are being 
carefully inquired into by the authorities at home, who have informed me that 
they are very confident of being able to provide us with a gun which will be in 
all respects suited for Horse Artillery. Now, for the Garrison Artillery. Since 
I last addressed you in December, 1889, many of the measure I then considered 
desirable have been carried out. All the new breech-loading guns, heavy and 
medium, together with the quick-firers and machine guns, have been mounted at 
Aden and Bombay, as have the 6-inch and quick-firers at Kurrachee and Calcutta, 
while the heavy guns for the two last-named places have been received and are 
3 VOL. XX. 24a 
