556 
OKEHAMPTON EXPERIMENTS. 
of a better form of quadrant, which could be used not only for giving high 
elevations, but for correcting the height of wheels, when firing deliberately 
at long ranges. 
(5) The sponge-staves of field guns should be marked to shew when the 
shell is home when using the service charge. 
(6) The Committee think it advisable that the spare gun-carriage should 
form part of the equipment of a battery as formerly, owing to the possibility 
of a carriage receiving damage which could not be repaired in the field. 
(7) The present field artillery carriages should be strengthened in those 
parts which shewed weakness during the experiments. The Committee have 
already taken steps in this direction. 
(8) With respect to the suitability of the present mode of packing 
stores, with reference to facility of supply of ammunition to guns in action, 
the Committee think that endeavours should be made to dispense with the 
present centre box. They think it possible that two limber ammunition 
boxes might be constructed to take the place of the three boxes now carried. 
(9) The Committee concur with the Special Committee on Range-Finders 
that a set of Nolan's small-pattern field instruments be issued to every field 
battery; but they strongly urge the necessity of making “ range-finding ” 
a special instruction and duty. Unless the establishment of a battery be 
increased by three men and three horses, the Committee do not think range¬ 
finding duties could be efficiently performed. (See para. 48.) 
(10) The Committee strongly urge that the conditions under which the 
annual practice of batteries is carried out be revised, and that endeavours 
be made to procure several land-ranges in different parts of the United 
Kingdom, where two or more batteries at a time could be encamped for 
practice. From their experience of Okehampton, the Committee think that, 
as a commencement, it is most important and desirable to establish a standing 
camp there for instruction during the summer months. (See para. 48.) 
(11) The square targets used for experimental purposes are very cum¬ 
brous, heavy, and expensive, and the Committee think a much lighter and 
cheaper target might be used for annual practice. Suitable targets for this 
purpose might be obtained in most places. 
(IS) The Committee strongly urge the introduction of some system of 
rewarding excellence in artillery practice analogous to that existing in the 
rest of the army. (See para. 48.) 
(13) The Committee consider that the allowance of practice ammunition 
per field battery might be judiciously increased. The present allowance 
(200 rounds) is considerably less than that issued for this purpose in foreign 
armies—notably in the case of the German artillery. 
(14) The Committee recommend that every field battery proceeding on 
service should take a good telescope, with tripod stand, as part of its equip¬ 
ment, and they suggest that steps be taken to procure a suitable pattern, 
which must be strong, simple, and powerful. 
(15) The necessary alterations should be made in the fuze-scale gradua¬ 
tions of the range-plates and tangent-scales of 9-pr. rifled M.L. guns of 
6 cwt. 
14th Febbitaet, 1876. 
