ESTABLISHMENT OF A BATTERY. 
471 
Section 5. 
RATE OF FIRE. 
The fire carried out in a battery is distinguished by the following 
terms :— 
1 .—Ordinary Fire. 
The divisional commanders give the word Fire 99 to their guns in 
succession, making the requisite pause (as ordered by the battery 
commander) between each round. 
2. —Slow Fire. 
The battery commander names the gun which is to fire, the divi¬ 
sional officer repeating the word of command. 
This nature of fire is mainly applicable to trial shot firing. 
3. —Rapid Fire. 
The guns are fired in succession from either flank as rapidly as 
possible. The order to fire being given by the divisional officers. 
The battery commander can also limit this rate of firing to the guns 
actually loaded only. 
4.— Salvos. 
All the guns that are loaded are fired simultaneously by word of 
command of the battery commander. 
5 .—Independent Fire. 
Each gun is fired when ready, by command of the No. 1. 
This nature of fire is forbidden with blank cartridge. 
On the completion of the first round from guns fired under the 
conditions given under the head of 1-3, the divisional commander of 
the last guns fired makes this known to the commander of the centre 
division, who passes the word on. In case of a miss fire from any gun, 
the divisional officer fires the gun next to it, and acquaints the battery 
commander of the fact. The gun that has missed fire is in this case 
fired when its turn comes round again. 
Section 6. 
PREPARATION FOR ACTION. 
The battery commander before giving the word “prepare for action 99 
notifies to the divisional commanders and Nos. 1, and to the look¬ 
out men, the target and point to be aimed at, as also whether an 
auxiliary mark is to be used for laying, and if the tangent scale, 
or the quadrant and hanging scales afe to be used. 
