COAST DEFENCE AGAINST TORPEDO-BOAT ATTACK. 
EY 5lY. 
On tlie best position for seeing the water area one lookout-man per 
battery is to be posted. He will keep a look out all round and report 
at once anything he observes, as directed by the Battery Commander. 
Before quitting his post on relief he will point out anything under 
observation to his successor. (This day lookout was, of course, 
much of the nature of an ordinary sentry except that his arms and 
ammunition were near him only and his hands were free to use 
glasses.) 
1BY NIGHT. 
Six men will be detailed for each battery, say A, B, G } D, E and F. 
Each man will be on watch for two hours. 
A will relieve the day lookout half an hour before sunset. 
B will be posted one hour after A. 
C „ „ „ „ „ „ B in relief of A. 
B » t) ^ a tt a a a a B, 
and so on 
There was thus always one lookout who had been sometime at 
work and whose eyes were accustomed to the light, aspect of water 
area, etc. 
Each of these men require binoculars. Those supplied during the 
Gibraltar manoeuvres were excellent. They were of naval pattern, 
but were perhaps unnecessarily heavy. 
Lookout-men at low sited batteries can see compara- 
Lookouts or lively little, and in this case it may often be found 
ow a enes. better to keep one of the night lookout-men either in 
communication with the lookouts of the nearest high sited battery or 
send him to any higher place in the neighbourhood that may be avail¬ 
able, from whence he can shout warning to the battery lookout-man. 
A portable, or permanent, telephone would, of course be much better, 
as the man could be sent to a more distant position. His shouts are 
apt to disturb the detachments unnecessarily. 
Lookout-men must have it continually impressed on 
them not to allow their attention to become absorbed 
on a single boat. False attacks are purposely made 
to divert attention from the real and several real 
attacks may take place simultaneously. The system 
adopted at Gibraltar for lookout-men answered very satisfactorily when 
the lookout-men were reasonably clever. It prevented the men at the 
guns being worn out by long vigils ; but many men displayed a lack of 
intelligence, or gave way to fancy, and in this event the N.C.O. or 
B.C. got too little rest. Probably sufficient reliable 
men could be found in each battery for lookout men, 
who in case of war should receive a small premium on 
truly reporting a hostile boat, with a deduction for false alarms. The 
untrustworthy men must be put to do the drudgery of the detach¬ 
ments, day lookout duty, etc. The efficiency of the defence so largely 
Attention must 
not be concen¬ 
trated on single 
boats. 
Reliable look¬ 
out-men needed. 
