COMMENDED ESSAY,, 1899. 4OI 
better training required by all concerned, in the methods of fighting 
guns of the movable armament. 
Our siege train companies at home, not being required as such, 
would have to assist in fighting the sea front guns, and must there¬ 
fore have a sufficient knowledge of the work to take their place in the 
less important groups for the protection of mine fields and defence 
against raid. 
C. This case is similar to B., but as the enemy must have gained 
complete command of the sea, the chances of attack from the land, 
for the capture of our outlying stations would be increased, while raids 
would be less probable, as their object could be equally well attained 
without running the risk of a repulse. 
The defence of our home fortresses from the land side would be¬ 
come our chief object and the siege train companies would have to 
take charge of the movable armament and be reinforced by all the 
Coast Artillery that could be spared, the latter’s place being filled up 
by Militia and Volunteers. Coast Artillery must therefore have a 
good knowledge of the land front defence of our important fortresses. 
D. This case might present itself at short notice in India ; our siege 
train companies and heavy batteries there, should be kept ready for 
any emergency, and the Garrison Artillery at stations inland should 
have such a knowledge of siege work as will enable them to at once 
take up their duties in attack and defence of strong places. 
At home, however, before we were called upon to use our siege 
train against modern fortifications, a certain time would necessarily 
have to elapse, while our Navy was gaining command of the sea, our 
army being mobilized, and our advanced troops or allies establishing 
themselves on the enemy’s territory! This would give us time to 
complete the training of our men before they were required for active 
operations. Garrison Artillery not being required for Coast Defence 
could be formed into siege trains, the regular siege companies and 
officers who had lately been through a course at Lydd, being available 
to instruct others and to take up the more important duties. 
All Coast Artillery should therefore have sufficient knowledge of 
siege work, to allow of a very short training making them into efficient 
siege artillerymen. 
Officers might also be called upon to serve with ammunition columns 
and parks, or with batteries of machine guns as in the first case men¬ 
tioned, and should have some idea of ammunition supply in the field 
and of the general working of the three arms. 
Considerations of these four cases leads us to the following con¬ 
clusions : — 
1. That this empire is at any time exposed to attacks by ships 
against our various coast fortresses, and that the majority of 
officers of Garrison Artillery must make a special study of 
coast defence, especially against raids by torpedo-boats, &c. 
2. That a good knowledge of the defence of land fronts is necess¬ 
ary to all. 
3. That we require a small number of highly trained siege artill¬ 
erymen ready for any emergency. 
