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artillery is as really under their individual command, both in barracks 
and in the field, as the other arms, than by giving it a simple organi¬ 
sation that would not require special study to comprehend it thoroughly. 
The day has gone by when general officers can be content to direct the 
artillery to conform to the movement of the other troops. There are 
phases in a battle when upon the action of the artillery all may depend; 
and what general worthy of the name will be content to leave the 
determination of that moment to the judgment of the most gifted 
subordinate ? Ought he not, therefore, to be as familiar with the capa¬ 
bilities of his artillery as with those of his infantry ? The necessity, 
therefore, of giving the artillery a simple and intelligible organisation 
is urgent, and the more akin to that of the other arms the better. 
To proceed to the consideration of garrison artillery: I propose no 
intermediate organisation between that of the division and battery. 
Garrison or siege artillery is, in the strictest military sense, reserve. 
As its duty is to provide for the garrison of a small fort or large 
fortress, or to furnish a train for a siege like that of Sebastopol, 
or to meet the necessities of our widely scattered colonies and posses¬ 
sions, X hold that no fagotting together of batteries would be free 
from the disadvantages of our present system. The garrison artillery 
should constitute one reserve division, from which batteries could 
be detached singly, or in numbers, as required for the special service 
contemplated. The lieut.-colonels of garrison brigades, besides being 
detached when required for service with the batteries, might be appointed 
for definite periods to districts and sub-districts, whereby they would 
become identified with the armaments in their charge. 
In what I have said, I have only ventured to indicate such an organi¬ 
sation as would, in my humble opinion, afford a tactical basis suitable 
to the Royal Artillery, and have purposely omitted all details—such as 
promotion of N.C. officers, returns,, correspondence, &c.—as I think the 
nature of the proposal is sufficiently suggestive of the modus operandi 
in these subordinate particulars. At any rate, were the principle that 
I have suggested adopted, these details would be easily worked out. 
In studying the battle-fields of modern times, one cannot help being 
struck with the subordinate part played by the artillery of the English, 
as compared with that of continental armies. We have, indeed, been 
on the whole successful, but at such an expenditure of life as to give 
rise to the savage remark that "John Bull estimates a victory by the 
extent of the butcher's billand it seems probable that had there 
.existed a more just appreciation of the capabilities of artillery, our vic¬ 
tories from Waterloo to the present day would have been none the less 
decisive, whilst the sacrifice of life would have been less. 
Within the last few years, opinion has corrected itself, and in future 
decisive tactical results will be looked for at our hands—and in vain, 
unless the preparation for them is meanwhile laid in a real, sound, and 
intelligent organisation. 
A short discussion followed, and the proceedings then terminated 
With a vote of thanks to Major Geary for his able lecture. 
