24 COAST DEFENCE AGAINST TORPEDO-BOAT ATTACK. 
Difficulty in 
ranging 
uncontrolled 
batteries. 
Over control. 
To convince anyone of tlie necessity for control it is 
usually sufficient to open fire from a number of 
absolutely independent batteries of Q.F. guns, at a 
fairly fast target in broad daylight. No battery, 
except such as are very high sited, say 600 ft., can 
distinguish its own shots and the means of ranging and hitting is re¬ 
moved. Very low sited Q.F/s often never get on the target at all. If 
there is this confusion when working with the easiest possible of lights, 
what reasonable certainty of striking torpedo-boats can be looked for 
when the difficulties of seeing are enormously increased ? There can at 
best, under such circumstances, be a mere dependance on a mass of what 
is practically unaimed fire for which the number of guns usually supplied 
to fortresses is inadequate, and an abandonment of the advantages 
coast batteries possess over shipping; a waste in fact of artillery 
science. It is more probable that a torpedo-boat would be sunk or 
put out of action at night, by one battery of two well-placed and well- 
handled Q.F. guns, having the water area to itself, than by four or 
more Q.F. batteries firing on the “ go as you please ” system laid 
down for us. 
Undoubtedly any attempt to control light Q.F. 
batteries in little details is wrong, as it also is with 
heavier armaments if the personnel is well trained. Over control leads 
to dreadful slowness, and has been brought about by the natural 
nervousness of artillery officers when firing from guns manned by but 
partially trained gunners. But Q.F. batteries for night work must 
have well trained men to do any good at all, and it does not take long 
to train them with a little firing. Their opportunity for real work will 
perhaps not exceed three or four minutes at a time, for a boat will 
either run in or sheer off beaten back in that time, and to attempt to 
regulate fire in detail by a central authority, however clever and 
practised, would be to render the guns inopperative. Guns, even if 
supplied with auto-sights, must be ranged and those in charge of them 
must be given the opportunity of picking up accurate shooting. 
g . , The following method of working several Q.F. batter- 
s stem of ies * s su gg es t e( l as affording a very effective control, 
control A central station for each distinct area under an ex¬ 
perienced senior artillery officer, supplied with a 
reasonable staff of an officer, lookout and telephone men, glasses, in¬ 
struments, charts, etc. This station must be in communication with 
each battery of Q.F. guns, and with each of the available electric 
beams, by means of an electric bell and a telephone. Guns and lights 
to have any chance of beating off an enterprising attack must be 
worked together for that common purpose. 
Perhaps a descriptive suggestion of the working of 
such a station, founded on actual occurrences during 
a week of manoeuvres, may assist in understanding 
the system recommended. At these manoeuvres, how¬ 
ever, though there were many more lights than those 
shown, only one moving beam was actually under the control of the 
Description of 
tlie working 
of a central 
station. 
