332 
GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1897 . 
It should be borne in mind that the service conditions under which 
these guns will be used on land are different from those that obtain 
on board ship. Confusion of ideas on this matter has sometimes 
occurred. Each ship must protect herself, and consequently her guns 
are devoted in the first place only to such boats as are attacking her 
in particular. These must come to fairly close range in order to have 
a good chance of disabling her, and the nearest boat at any time is 
that to be most feared, and on which all fire must be concentrated. 
The case is different with shore guns. Those boats which have the 
best chance of getting past are the most dangerous, and these may be 
the most distant from the guns, which they will endeavour to avoid 
instead of approaching. Selection and indication of target by the 
gun group commander become therefore matters of the most vital 
importance. 
Shell practice has so far been treated of with especial reference to 
home requirements, which appear capable of satisfactory fulfilment. 
Abroad the difficulty is greater. It is doubtful whether such facilities 
as are desirable can ever be afforded without going to the expense of 
providing special practice batteries at every station. The establish¬ 
ment of a regular Q.F. practice camp at home, which could be kept 
at work throughout the year, would however be of great value, and 
officers and men who had attended it would gradually permeate the 
Garrison Artillery. Besides it seems reasonable to suppose that a few 
gun group commanders and gun captains might be sent home at 
intervals to profit by its advantages. A similar course has been 
pursued in the training of other experts—master tailors for example, 
whose vocation is hardly of equal importance. 
It is not intended to suggest that even at home whole companies 
should attend the camp. The attendance of a certain number of 
officers and men should be authorised for each station, the number 
depending on its importance and armament. The selection of these 
should be left to the officer commanding. In the first place those 
details should be sent on whom would fall the duty of manning the 
guns in war, and the practice carried out by these should be most 
thorough. After making provision for them it would be advisable if 
possible to secure the attendance of a reasonable number of other 
officers and men, each company at home sending a due proportion, 
say once in two or three years. The numbers to be accommodated 
in the course of a year would be a matter for consideration and 
arrangement, but the whole quick-firing manning details from any one 
station should be sent, as far as possible, intact and together. It is 
believed that the benefit accruing to the Garrison Artillery from the 
adoption of some such scheme as has been outlined would be incal¬ 
culable, and to the subaltern of that branch in particular, in whom at 
last would arise the hope of undivided responsibility and independent 
command.* 
There remains to be mentioned practice with aiming rifles and 
tubes. These are especially important adjuncts to quick-firing guns, 
in the service of which individual skill in fire direction and laying has 
* See Report of School of Gunnery, 1896, Part 1, paragraph 188. 
