2 
about to be mounted. As I anticipated, a considerable difficulty was at first 
experienced in working this heavy ordnance, but the special knowledge, skill, and 
attention which modern armaments demand from those who would get full value 
from scientific appliances have not been wanting, and I am glad to think that the 
Garrison Artillery are proving themselves equal to the occasion. I wish I could 
announce that the same progress has been made in the supply of rifled guns and 
howitzers for Heavy Batteries and Siege Trains, but various reasons, into which 
I need not enter here, have prevented their issue. The chief difficulty has been 
in the manufacture of a suitable carriage. The home authorities, however, are 
sanguine of being able to overcome this difficulty, and I trust it will not be long 
before breech-loading ordnance is received. When the new guns, etc., come out, 
the Government of India have sanctioned their being kept at Boorkee with 
elephant and bullock transport complete, so that the Garrison Artillery will have 
an opportunity, not only of shooting with them, but what is almost equally neces¬ 
sary, of moving them about the country. With regard to shooting, I am glad to 
congratulate the Garrison Artillery on the fact that for my prize, open to all 
Batteries and Companies serving in Bengal, four Garrison Companies head the 
list, the average figure of merit of this branch of the Begiment this year being 
'661 against '527 last year. This is very satisfactory, and shows that the greater 
amount of leisure the Garrison Artillery have, as compared with Horse and Field 
Artillery, is judiciously spent in laying and practising gun-drill and handling 
ammunition. I earnestly hope that the Garrison Artillery will endeavour to 
accelerate the service of the guns, which I consider now to be the most important 
requirement; if it be true that during siege operations fire should be deliberate, 
it must be remembered that the contrary is the case in coast defence. During a 
naval attack on a port, the enemy’s ships will advance at their utmost speed in 
order to try and run past the batteries. The only way, therefore, in which they 
can be stopped is by a combination of rapidity in serving the guns and accuracy 
of fire, which can only be attained by constant drill and practice; therefore, for 
Garrison as for all other branches of the Artillery, I must insist on what I have 
urged on former occasions, that it is necessary to quicken up the -work of loading, 
laying, fixing of fuzes, and handling of ammunition and stores, if success is to 
be obtained in the very difficult task of repelling with heavy ordnance an enemy’s 
attack on a port. The competitive practice on which the figure of merit has 
hitherto been calculated was mere shooting at a fixed single target by individual 
layers ; most Batteries and Companies have now attained a sufficient proficiency 
to justify fire discipline being included in the competition, and prizes are being 
given for success in firing at dummies placed so as to represent service formations. 
A new scheme accordingly has been formulated for this year’s practice, by which 
shooting prizes will be allotted to Batteries and Companies instead of to indivi¬ 
duals, and in future Batteries and Companies will only compete against those 
armed with similar guns. A new and important feature is that Coast Defence 
Companies will fire with 6-inch breech-loading guns over sea ranges, and so gain 
very valuable experience in the management of these complicated pieces. Soldiers 
of the Boyal Artillery, I have thought it might interest you to hear what I have 
to say as to how r the several questions intimately connected with your armaments 
and efficiency are progressing. You may possibly remember my expressing a 
hope, when I addressed you last year, that some officer of the Begiment wmuld 
undertake the task of compiling a history of artillery combats. My suggestion 
met vdth the response I anticipated, and the last few numbers of the “ Proceed¬ 
ings ” of the Boyal Artillery Institution contain most interesting papers on the 
“ Achievements of Field Artillery,” by Major E. S. May. These papers are well 
worth reading, as they show what tremendous effect guns have had in wars of the 
past whenever they were properly served, even when only round shot and common 
shell w r ere used ; I have no sort of doubt that our Artillery will have a still 
