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GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1897 . 
layers, in addition to the practice with aiming rifles. The target 
should be arranged on similar principles to that advocated for quick- 
firing guns, but no butt or artificial light will as a rule be necessary. 
Those heavy guns (if any) which are provided with special case 
shot for repelling torpedo-boat attacks, in the absence of quick- 
firing guns, should be practised from under as near an approach as 
possible to service conditions, i.e., by night and at a quick target. 
Paper shot or blank would probably have to be used, and the 
arrangements might be similar to those for blank practice from 
quick-firing guns. 
The only possible use, as Coast Artillery guns, of the “ armament 
for general defence ” would be in repelling landing attacks. They 
should be occasionally practised from under this idea at a target 
moving towards the shore.* 
The practice of machine guns over sea ranges should for the same 
reason be carried out at a similar target, with the exception of those 
grouped t with quick-firing guns, which should be practised from 
under the same conditions as quick-firing guns. 
CLASSIFICATION OF PRACTICE. 
The following classification of the proposed systems of practice is 
advocated:— 
(a) Company elementary practice. 
(b) Company service practice. 
(c) Station service practice. 
(a) This should consist entirely of practice with aiming rifles (1-inch 
and -45-inch calibre) from the guns mounted in the defences. Where, 
however, it is very difficult to obtain a clear range for these, aiming 
rifles might be used in the guns of the practice battery; bub the 
practice would then be less valuable as a help to testing means of 
range-finding, communications, etc., and accustoming details to the 
use of these as they would exist in war. Owing to the cheapness of 
the ammunition a large number of rounds should be available, and the 
practice spread over the entire year. No employment should be 
allowed to prevent a man of the regular artillery from being present 
at such practice at least once in every three months. Bach man should 
attend practice as far as possible with guns similar to those to which 
he would be detailed in time of war. The use of service ammunition 
for elementary practice is a waste for which there is no occasion now 
that aiming rifles are approved. Every round should be carefully 
saved for the more instructive service practice. 
Whether detailed to man quick-firing guns or not, a certain propor- 
of every company—say a subaltern and twenty men, specially selected 
—should be trained to these guns, and practice with aiming rifles from 
them. 
(b) This would consist, for those details told off to quick-firing guns 
at home, of the practice at the Q.F. practice camp already recommend¬ 
ed ; for details abroad, of the nearest approach to service practice that 
the locality, and appliances available would allow. Such details should 
* See Report of School of Gunnery, 1896, Part 1, paragraph 188. 
-j- Page 9, Amendments 1896, to G.A.D., Vol. i., 1895. 
