558 
FIGHTING BOOKS. 
Preliminary Arrangements>) 
I. —Receive reports that the groups are ready for action and that 
the group differences have been chalked ou the gun drums, 
or crest-rings in the case of guns fitted with front pointers. (1)) 
II. —Ascertain that each G.G-.C. is in possession of his “ fighting 
card.”F) 
III. —Test all means of communication and see all electric order dials 
(if used) are “ at stops .” 
IV. —Settle whether tangent or quadrant elevation is to be used. 
Note .—Quadrant elevation should always be used, if possible, in pre¬ 
ference to tangent elevation, as, by so doing, “ personal error ” is elimi¬ 
nated and the service of the gun accelerated owing to the operations of 
elevating and training being carried out simultaneously. 
Battery Commander's Corrections are 
I.—For range— 
(a) Tide (not necessary in case I.) 
(6) Powder error, or error of the day. 
(c) Travel of objective. 
II.—For deflection— 
{a) Wind. 
(b) Point of impact. 
(c) Travel of objective. 
Rules for Battery Commanders. 
I.—No battery commander may select his own objective, but must 
direct his fire on that indicated to him by the fire commander. 
II. —No battery commander may open fire until permitted to do so, 
with the whole or part of his armament, by the fire com¬ 
mander, except under exceptional circumstances, when he 
may do so on his own responsibility, reporting his reasons for 
so doing to his' fire commander. 
III. —A. ship signalled by the fire commander as N.C. (not classed) is 
to be attacked at all fighting ranges with C.P. down to the 
water-line. 
A ship signalled as XJ.K. (unknown) is to be attacked at all 
fighting ranges by C.P. Fire to be directed at her super¬ 
structure generally. 
a These may have to be amplified to meet local conditions ; those given are common to all 
forts. 
b In the case of mountings fitted with front pointers the system of chalking the differences on 
the gun drums will be found most inconvenient, as the gun captain will have to run round to the 
front every time he wishes to ascertain what the difference for any particular training is. The 
following method has been used with success :—Mark, with chalk, sections on the crest-ring cor¬ 
responding to those on the gun drum, and, in these sections, chalk up the differences. Now, if a 
temporary pointer be fixed to the shield (II.P. mounting) vertically above the permanent pointer, 
the gun captain can read the differences without moving from his post in rear. Further, if the 
pointer be extended a few inches above the shield and the chalk marks also carried up to the upper 
crest-ring, the gun-layer can himself read the difference, even when laying the gun run up. 
c For specimen form, see end of book. 
