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MILITIA MILITARY COMPETITIVE PRACTICE. 
do his part: failure on the part of one is loss to all. The officers play 
the most important parts, as is right; they should therefore be the 
best taught. The system of officers and men all clustering round the 
one group of guns firing, as has hitherto been done, has prevented 
the requirements under service conditions being realised. 
It was evident competition alone could generate the necessary ex¬ 
citement to induce all hands to really give their minds to the work. 
The conditions of the competition should be so framed as to bring into 
prominent notice the vital points bearing on success. 
The marks for accessories should be in each case few, but sufficient 
to call attention to the points where improvement was desired; in no 
case should marks for detail be allotted in sufficiently large numbers 
to counter-balance the actual shooting. 
Most of the practice of Militia Artillery has hitherto been at 
standing targets, a waste of ammunition from heavy traversing guns 
and no more use on the day of action than practising potting rabbits 
is to a man at a battue. The enemies’ ships will be veritable rocketers 
and 15 minutes will be the utmost time they will be in the arcs of fire 
of any gun, generally less. Smart, quick drill and rapid firing will be 
alone useful; therefore, moving targets should be always employed for 
practice. 
In May, 1896, the permission of the General Officer Commanding 
was obtained to issue the following order : — 
MILITIA ARTILLERY PRACTICE, 1896.—CORK DISTRICT. 
Orders by the Lieut.-Colonel Commanding the District. 
29.5.96. Cork. 
Competitive practice will take place this year amongst all the' 
regiments of Militia Artillery, Cork District, training in the harbour. 
Colonel H. Torkington, R.A., Commanding Militia Artillery, Cork 
District, will present a cup to the winner under the following con¬ 
ditions. 
Note .—It has been authorised that a grant of money may also be 
made from the canteen to the men of the best company in each 
regiment taking part in the competition. 
CONDITIONS FOR COMPETITIVE PRACTICE. 
Militia Artillery, Cork District, 1896. 
1. —Only those regiments practising in Cork Harbour will be eligible 
to compete. 
2. _The competition will take place under instructions for “Practice 
over sea ranges, 1896,” except in cases provided for below. 
3 t —Target to be of “ b ” pattern, which may be decorated by the 
regiment to make it more visible. 
4 ._Six rounds to be fired per company from two guns and at least 
two rounds to be by ordinary fire. The remainder may be salvoes. 
