THE ROYAL AETILLERY INSTITUTION. 
401 
Now here I am entering on the discussion of a subject which I 
do not understand. May we hope that some officer who has mastered 
it may give us his opinion ? It is desirable that we should all know 
something about firing at ships—work which we, as well as the navy, 
might have to perform on service. 
The old-fashioned method of fighting pursued by English ships (as 
far as I comprehend it) was by some means to get to windward of the 
enemy, and then engage hotly ; the range in old days having been so 
short as to lead to the introduction of carronades, and afterwards having 
been extended (chiefly during our American war). Fighting from the 
windward side was I believe the same thing as getting that mysterious 
desideratum, the “ weather gauge ” of the enemy; it gave the power of 
closing to better advantage, and also, fighting as vessels then did under 
canvas, it frequently gave the opportunity of hitting a ship heeling over, 
“ between wind and water,” and making shot-holes which might prove 
dangerous leaks, especially when she changed her tack. (The fig. 
shows a cross section of the “ Favourite ” * at an angle of 20°, the side 
* Taken from “ Eairbairn on Iron Ship-Building.’ 
