TRAINING OF VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY. 
417 
1st and 2nd class, the former would outnumber the latter; but in any 
case tlie grant could easily be fixed, so as not to create any new finan¬ 
cial difficulties for the various Corps. 
With regard to the travelling allowances of the 1st class for gun 
practice, I would grant this allowance for the actual number of men 
who attended, not limiting it to one attendance per man, as at present, 
this would not cause any extra expense, as there would not be any 
allowance required for the 2nd class. 
For this division into 1st and 2nd class I claim the following advan¬ 
tages :— 
(a.) It would draw a distinct line between the men thoroughly 
trained, and who could be depended upon, at a moment's 
notice, to take up their position and work the guns of a fort¬ 
ress according to modern ideas, and those who would require 
considerable instruction at a time when it would be least con¬ 
venient to impart it. 
(&.) The 1st class would consist of a body of men, whose training 
would be considerably above the average of the present Vol¬ 
unteer Artilleryman, for several reasons (1) They would have 
to put in an increased number of drills. (2) Being fewer in 
number they could receive more attention from the permanent 
staff. (3) Being a body of men whose attainments were about 
on a level, their instruction could be more progressive. 
(c.) The men of the 2nd class, although only doing three drills a 
year, would be quite as useful a body of men, as a very large 
number of those, who at present put in nine drills a year. 
The drills being on consecutive nights, they would learn as 
much as is at present learnt in nine drills spread over a whole 
year. 
(d.) The formation of a 2nd class would probably retain a number 
of men, who resign because they find it inconvenient to attend 
the inspection, or gun practice, or who find that, from various 
causes, they cannot any longer afford the time, which is neces¬ 
sary to keep them thoroughly up to their work, and who do 
not care to be thought less efficient than formerly. 
(e.) With regard to those Corps, who receive travelling allowance 
for gun practice, by allowing men of the 1st class to attend 
as often as they could, instead of once a year, as at present, 
a great advantage would be gained, for where can men learn 
their work better than at actual practice, especially if they 
have the advantage, as some have, of carrying it out from 
forts armed with heavy ordnance, and supplied with modern 
appliances. 
The above remarks are written with reference to Corps of Garrison 
Artillery, especially those told off to important defences, as I know 
little of the Position Batteries; I am aware that some Corps have a 
much larger proportion of outlyiug companies than others, and, in my 
opinion, these outlying companies have an advantage in training, in 
that there is usually an Instructor for each outlying company, who is 
