150 
A TEST OF PRELIMINARY TRAINING. 
6. A standard can now be laid down, and it is the first essential. 
7. It can be tested by itself without exercising the other two. 
Bring the guns into action on any ordinary range, select some well 
defined aiming point, which need have no reference to the grazing and 
bursting points. 
Fire six rounds of percussion shell, one from each gun, all laid alike. 
Let a range party note accurately the rectangle within which these , 
graze. 
Similarly, fire six rounds of time shell, with one length of fuze, to 
ensure a burst in the air, and let the rectangle of these bursts be also 
accurately noted. 
8. The battery has now found its rectangles of graze and burst. 
If these are efficient, i.e., would produce as good results, as if grazes 
and bursts respectively, coincided, the battery passes the test, the first 
essential is ensured, and it is fit to proceed at once to Elementary 
Practice. 
9. Having laid down a standard and tested it satisfactorily, the 
statement in para. 5 shows how Elementary Practice will put a finish¬ 
ing touch, and what it is. J 
For when the first essential is ensured, the second will determine 
position of grazes or bursts, short of, or over, a selected point; the 
third will bring grazes or bursts and point within the efficient rectangle, 
and this is the finishing touch required, before a battery is fit to pro¬ 
ceed to service practice. 
10. No amount of rounds will put this finishing touch to the Pre¬ 
liminary Training of a battery, not passing the test, because it is 1 
plunged at once into practice involving the exercise, in order, of three 
essentials, and the first not being ensured, the other two cannot be 
given fair play; bad results follow, there is a natural tendency to seek f 
excuses, and guns and ammunition frequently get undeserved blame, t 
As to the necessity for the firing test, the following statements will, : 
I believe, be acknowledged to be true. 
i. Many officers and men, of all ranks, in a battery, with every ; 
wish to complete Preliminary Training have only a vague 
idea of the standard they are meant to attain, and so: 
ii. When examined by the Camp Commandant, as at present, 
would not be satisfied with the decision given, if turned back 
to further Preliminary Training. 
iii. Many Camp Commandants are not quite clear as to what con- 1 
stitutes complete Preliminary Training, and so : 
iv. When examining, by present tests, unless Preliminary Train¬ 
ing has been very incomplete, are not prepared to convince j 
a battery that it is unfit to proceed at once to Elementary 
Practice. 
Obviously all concerned ought to welcome some convincing 
test. 
12. Again, there are three essentials to obtaining good results at prac- ; 
