OFFICE WORK OF A GARRISON BATTERY. 
97 
175. Let us take the case of a battery just raised, or that has come 
home without its equipment. A full set of arms and accoutrements has 
to be drawn for each man, except that sergeants have no ball bag; and 
that trumpeters have no carbine, ball bag, or pouch, receiving instead’ 
a trumpet and a bugle with strings. When drawn every article of each 
stand of arms and set of accoutrements has to be marked with a certain 
battery number, one of a consecutive series, from one upwards; this 
same number being on all the articles of arms and accoutrements in 
possession of one man. The battery mark and the date of issue has 
to be on large articles. Once received by the battery the equipment 
remains always in charge of the Major, whether the articles are issued 
to the men or remain in store. The Major, however, has not to make 
good any loss or damage occasioned by the men, unless he can recover 
the amount from them, except in cases of damage that he ought to 
have prevented or to have covered by stoppages at the time. Thus 
G. Smith deserts with a waist-belt, the Major is not responsible. 
G. Brown injures his belt and is discharged before the damage is 
discovered, the Major is responsible. See Eq. paras. 9 and 10. 
176. Carbines and sword-bayonets are demanded (Eq. para. 28) 
direct from the Commissary-General at the station, on W.O. Form 443 
in duplicate, in accordance with the scale of equipment given at page 
90 Eq., as altered by Errata issued with clause 131, A.C. of 1st June, 
1879. As a garrison battery has no means of marking arms, a separate 
application is made at the same time to have them marked by the 
Ordnance Department before issue, in a battery series from 1 upwards, 
with the distinctive marks ordered by Errata issued with clause 131, 
A.C. 1st June, 1879, articles 282 to 288, and pages 12, 15, and 16. 
Note that the numbers of the stand of arms do not ever rise higher than 
the highest number of stands with the battery at one time, not like 
the consecutive brigade numbers given to men. Thus stands of 
arms replacing others take the old numbers; a new No. 8 carbine 
replaces the old No. 8. On receipt of notice that the arms are ready 
for issue, enquiry should be made whether this marking has been done, 
as the garrison artillery being an exception to the general rule that the 
corps affix their own distinctive marks, this may be overlooked. 
177. Trumpets and bugles with their strings (Eq. page 142) are 
demanded in the same manner, on W.O. Form 469 in duplicate. They 
are marked by the battery, after receipt, with the battery distinctive 
mark; and with the date of issue, if that has not been done by the 
Ordnance Department. For recovering expense, see Eq. para. 300. They 
are also marked as first or second set. An armourer can generally be 
found to do this. 
178. Accoutrements, in wdiich are included all the valise equipment, 
water bottles, oil-bottles, and liavresacks, are demanded, in the same 
manner, on W.O. Form 452 in duplicate, except when few articles are 
required, when W.O. Form 1456 for equipment, or 1457 for material for 
repair, are used (Eq. paras. 37 and 38). Demands for few articles can 
