334 
GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1897 . 
6 inch and 4*7 inch Q.F.—These guns, not being intended for use 
against torpedo-boat attack, are unlikely to be wanted at night (see 
table). Should however a larger vessel be employed to clear a 
passage for torpedo boats through temporary obstacles, if conveni¬ 
ently sited their effect would be useful. But a vessel risked for 
this purpose would almost certainly be old and therefore slow, and 
an easy target on this account and by reason of her size. Practice 
from them does not call for the special measures necessitated by the 
circumstances attending the use of the lighter guns. Their special 
province is the attack of the unarmoured parts of larger vessels by 
day. Some of these might be fast ships, so the quickest targets 
obtainable should be used. 
No special scheme of fire discipline is laid down for these guns, but 
it is assumed that, for the sake of rapidity of fire, that authorized for 
the smaller natures will be followed. Practice from aiming rifles and 
tubes should therefore be carried out on the same lines as for the other 
quick-firing guns, in addition to the ordinary practice, with a view to 
instruction in ranging and laying. Aiming rifles and tubes for the 
4*7 inch are approved. 
HIGH-ANGLE EIRE GUNS. 
To obtain service conditions for practice from these is not very 
difficult. Their targets in action would be vessels at anchor or moving 
slowly. Rapidity of fire is not so important as accuracy, and this they 
are able to attain by the help of the position-finder. The chief object 
of practice is therefore to train the battery commander in fire direc¬ 
tion and P.F. operators in observation of fire. 
The targets used for practice should be both anchored and drifting. 
No special form of target is authorized, and those generally used do 
not record hits or admit of their being readily estimated by the range 
party. It is useless to trust to the position-finding operators for this; 
their estimate of error in range is inclined to be optimistic. A real 
record target would be an impossibility in any but the calmest weather, 
and unwieldy at the best of times; but a fair approach to one could be 
obtained by lashing loosely together four light spars of convenient 
length in the form of a rectangle, bracing them loosely with similar 
spars diagonally and attaching a float carrying a bannerole to each 
corner. This would stand any ordinary weather, and a range party, 
suitably placed on a flank, would be able to judge of the effect of fire 
with regard to range, while observation for line could be carried out 
from a position in the line of fire. From the joint observation of these 
two parties hits could be detected. 
As the power of indicating target by the fire commander to the 
battery commander would be a matter of some importance, this should 
be practised, two or three targets being put out for the purpose and 
fire turned from one to another. 
There seems little necessity for night practice, except with blank 
ammunition to test apparatus. Ships certainly might carry on bom¬ 
bardment by night, but could only do so with the slightest hope of 
effect when they had commenced it by day, and obtained bearings on 
