AUSTRIAN FIELD ARTILLERY SERVICE PRACTICE. 
655 
The following is taken from the instructions for selecting and 
acquiring ground for the service practice :— 
The best ground is that most resembling ground on which actions 
are commonly fought; moderately hilly ground, affording variety of 
cover, and not impossible for any arm. A proportion of wooded 
ground is advantageous. Cover, such as natural features, or enclosures 
and cultivation afford, should be made use of in the interest of the 
practice as far as owners and occupiers will permit. 
Practice grounds are not to be too far from home; if troops arrive 
fatigued it is a drawback to their instruction. If, however, ground at 
a distance must be used, batteries may bivouac on the ground. The 
District Commanding Officer of Artillery would make his proposition 
to this effect when sending to the War Ministry his programme of 
operations for the current year. 
Compensation for use of ground for service practice is determinable 
with sole reference to the damages caused thereby. Referring to points 
1 and 2 below, these damages can be but small. 
The following is the usual procedure in selecting and acquiring the 
right of use of ground for service practice :— 
The ground having been reconnoitred and a plan of it made, the 
necessary arrangements with the civil service authority of the district 
are entered on; all that is done is to appoint a commission, composed 
of representatives of the commanding officer of artillery, of the Com¬ 
missariat Department, of the Construction Department (with us the 
R.E.), an official from each civil district concerned, and the representa¬ 
tives of the chiefs of the communes. These visit the ground, determine 
approximately the lines of fire, and seek the consent of the proprietors 
and of the chiefs of communes. 
In order to obtain this consent more readily, the military repre¬ 
sentatives are enjoined to give prominence to, and lay stress on the 
following points :— 
1. That the intention is to practice manoeuvres, at which some of 
the firing will be with real projectiles—not to use the ground as a 
regular artillery practice range. 
2. The shooting to take place after harvest time, and only in the 
fore or the afternoons for a few hours at a time : any ungathered crops 
to be thoroughly respected: existing roads only to be used, by pre¬ 
ference, in moving the batteries to their positions. 
3. That such small damages as occur through explosion of shells 
will be settled by ready money payment at the end of the practice, 
equitably, by mutual consent. Failing mutual consent, the amount 
payable to be settled by a commission. 
4. That no troops will be quartered on a commune in consequence of 
the practice, except under urgent necessity. 
5. That closing roads and keeping the ground as requisite for safety 
will be attended to, and traffic and agricultural operations will be inter- 
