THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION, 
255 
For Horse and field artillery there should be thorough instruction in 
the guns, ammunition, and stores used by the battery, and only a general 
knowledge of those belonging to others. Some idea should be given of 
the use of artillery fire in the field, the rate of firing under different cir¬ 
cumstances, and the object to fire at—which cannot usually be well 
understood unless the general object of a battle is known—the best 
positions for artillery in action and on the march, and the relation of 
this branch to the cavalry and infantry ; as an intelligent knowledge on 
these points is most necessary to the mounted portion of the regiment, 
in which rapidity of understanding and carrying out orders is of 
the highest importance—the object of instruction being more to teach 
the men how the guns, ammunition, and stores of their batteries should 
be employed on service than how they are made in arsenals, for the 
same reason that a sailor is taught more about navigation than naval 
architecture. 
With garrison artillery the chief attention must, of course, be given 
to becoming acquainted with the very many natures of ordnance, ammu¬ 
nition, and stores which the garrison gunner may be called upon to 
use. The unavoidable slowness in the working of heavy guns affords 
time to the officers to prevent mistakes; but even garrison artillerymen 
should be taught something of the relation of the different branches of 
the service to each other, and of the general plan of sieges, &c., as was 
proved at the second siege of Badajos, when “ the ricochet fire of the 
batteries was less effectual than might have been expected, but none of 
the distances were more than 600 yds. The lines to be enfiladed were 
short, and it required the greatest attention to keep the artillerymen— 
particularly the Portuguese—to the proper system of direction for this 
species of fire. They would not believe that they were doing good in 
firing over the parapet, and they preferred striking the wall whenever 
they could do so unobserved; and this was done to such a degree, that 
the left face of the bastion La Trinidad was very much injured at the 
salient angle .”* 
(3) Some questions and answers, in simple language. 
(4) A few directions about teaching drill, and practiclly carrying out 
the subjects taught. 
The publication of some such system would facilitate the work of 
every officer engaged in teaching, and the men would be instructed in a 
more rapid, uniform, and thorough manner than at present—an advan¬ 
tage which is hardly perceived in time of peace, but which becomes one 
of the first importance on the breaking out of a large war, and the 
consequent enlistment of numbers of recruits, whose time for training 
is often limited. 
A well prepared system promotes both discipline and esprit de corps ; 
as the more a man interests himself in his profession, the better will he 
do his work. 
The various conditions of the different batteries of the regiment would 
prevent any rigid adherence to such a system, which should be but a 
sketch to be filled up according to circumstances and the discretion of 
* Jones’ “ Sieges.” 
