THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
113 
need by additional earthworks, so as to form the cordon of an entrenched 
camp which the enemy could not pass by day, and we should construct 
an inner line to prevent the enemy penetrating by night. The two 
main conditions to be fulfilled would be— 
(1) The safety of the arsenal against a siege or a coup-de-main, and 
with the minimum of garrison. 
(2) Space for an army under cover of the works, and freedom for all 
arms. 
The circumstances of each case must, however, vary so much, that it 
would be useless to attempt to decide on the necessary points for con¬ 
sideration—viz., the strength; the distance of the detached forts from 
the vital point to be defended; the distance of the enceinte from the vital 
point, and from the detached forts; the trace of the enceinte, profile; 
trace, profile and details of the forts; and these matters must be left to 
the requirements of each case and the skill of the engineer. 
4. The General Principles op the Organisation op an Arsenal. 
The first great principle is simplicity of arrangement. 
Coequal with this, is the opposition to that over-centralisation which 
burdens one functionary with details which by excessive labour he 
cannot properly supervise in time of peace, and which must be totally 
neglected in time of war. 
Upon these two principles hang all the rest. Economy of labour, mate¬ 
rial, and supervision ; despatch of business ; care of stock; excellence 
of manufacture; depend upon the above considerations—if by economy 
we mean the saving of unnecessary expenditure, and not the mere 
arbitrary retrenchment of expenses which must be incurred sooner or 
later; if by despatch of business we mean that intelligent routine which 
must ever be the guide for the efficient performance of numerous duties* 
but which in time of pressure is able to appreciate the most urgent 
wants of the service; if by care of stock we mean the care of it by a 
proper and economical subdivision of labour; and lastly, if by excel¬ 
lence of construction we mean the happy union of efficiency and economy 
—two terms often separated widely, sometimes utterly divorced, and 
both susceptible of wide differences of opinion as to their true meaning. 
Nothing can be more appropriate to this section of the subject than 
to present a summary of the fundamental principles of administration 
enumerated in that remarkable work, “ Responsibility in War/ ; by the 
Archduke Albrecht of Austria 
1st. To separate and define with precision the circle of action of 
each one in his own sphere. 
2nd. To prevent a superior from encroaching on the circle of action 
of a subordinate. 
3rd. To have as few agents as possible, but those tried men, well 
paid, and trusted thoroughly. 
4th. To prevent the work of superior and central authority de¬ 
generating into a purely mechanical routine« 
15 
