362 COMMENDED ESSAY, 1897. 
racers, and possibly for error of instrument; in deflection we have to 
allow for wind, travel, time of firing and flight, besides possibly wishing 
to hit a certain part of the objective, and in certain cases having to get 
concentrated fire. 
The difference of level of racers and errors of instruments should not 
exist, and wind is generally not sufficient to affect the shooting very 
much. As regards the other items, when using P.F. case III. most of 
these disappear automatically or are allowed for by the operators, with 
the exception of training for concentrating fire, which is ordered by 
the G.G.C. ; with P.F. case II. the corrections for range are made at 
the instruments and line only has to be thought of in the battery. 
This latter is generally looked upon as the most satisfactory method of 
conducting fire, as it leaves the B.C. a free hand to attend to his many 
duties, while giving him complete control over his guns, 
use of d.r.f. In many cases however, groups have to be fought by D.R.F., and even 
when P.F. is installed all should ba prepared to work with D.R.F.’s as 
an alternative, and the best method of using these instruments requires 
consideration. 
With D.R.F. we cannot avoid displacement, except by placing the 
instruments close to or behind the guns, when the smoke is liable to 
interfere with their proper working. The differences due to displace¬ 
ment are allowed for by the G.G.C., but the remaining corrections at 
present fall upon the B.C. unless he arranges otherwise. 
Col. Jocelyn, in his lecture on “Coast Artillery in Action,” in 
November, 1894, stated :—“We have got to divorce ourselves from the 
idea that rules applicable to target practice are any good on service.” 
Alas ! as matters stand at present these words are only too true in 
many cases ! 
But is there really any necessity for this ? Cannot we bring things 
down to the level they would assume in war time ? 
If it is to be done, we must commence by simplifying our system of 
giving corrections with D.R.F. 
Few officers in peace practice are equal to the task of applying the 
many corrections, and fewer still could in action, calmly time the rate 
of travel of a ship, and the number of degrees it moves through in one 
minute, calculate these corrections, add or deduct others, and order the 
dial to be set in the manner shown in Sec. III., Part III., G.A. drill, at 
the same time attending to the many other duties which will devolve 
upon them, such as communicating with the F.C., identifying and 
pointing out targets, ordering rate of fire, etc., etc. 
Many officers prefer to ignore all drums etc., entirely, and use their 
own common sense and practical experience, with the result that their 
shooting is generally far more effective than that of others, who muddle 
their heads by trying to calculate their corrections to too great a nicety, 
and undoubtedly on service they would adopt the simplest method. 
Would it not be far better to at once abandon very minute corrections, 
and lump them all into one general estimate for the first round, and 
then correct according to the shooting of the guns, bracketing the target 
to guard against wrong observation ? 
It is rarely, at practice, that a B.C. has more than one or two groups 
firing at the same time, and the guns are usually of the same nature ; 
but let us take a case, which under present circumstances might often 
occur in action, and suppose three or more groups, guns of different 
natures, the corrections for one group not suitable for another, owing to 
