406 
COMMENDED ESSAY, 1899. 
mountings will not traverse, and are fitted with none of the later 
improvements, and where laying at a moving object becomes a farce. 
Under these circumstances, is it not natural that he should get the idea 
that all Garrison Artillery work must be equally slow and monotonous! 
Rather better guns are to be given and smarter drill may be possible, 
but surely when the first training of our officers is of such importance, 
only the very quickest loading guns and mountings, fitted with the 
latest appliances for laying, should be supplied, and now that rapidity 
of fire is such an important factor in coast defence, extreme smartness 
in work should be aimed at. 
Let us see what we may expect a cadet to know, on leaving the 
Academy, which affects his technical training as a Garrison Artillery¬ 
man ! First taking the general subjects mentioned in Chapter II. we 
have: — 
1. TLlectricity. This has made great strides of late and its im¬ 
portance is beginning to get recognized. The syllabus of 
instruction is very complete, and a cadet, on passing out, 
should have a sufficient theoretical knowledge of electricity 
to enable him to understand any instruments he is likely to 
come across. His practical instruction in setting up and 
working telephones, range indication and firing adjuncts, 
finding faults in circuits, etc., will however, have to be com¬ 
pleted after joining. 
2. Chemistry. The instruction in this is sufficient for all practi¬ 
cal purposes. 
3. Steam. The elementary application of steam in working en¬ 
gines is included in the Mechanism Course, and practical in¬ 
struction is to be given in the appliances used in the work¬ 
shops. The generation of steam in the more common form 
of boilers now in use, might with advantage be added to the 
syllabus. 
4. Hydraulics. Though not forming a regular portion of the 
course, the practical employment of hydraulics is seen in 
machinery used in the Arsenal, and in jacks, buffers, etc. 
and the storage of power by means of accumulators is ex¬ 
plained. The working of lifts and the principle of hydraulic 
pulleys should be taught and an officer would then join with 
a sufficient general knowledge of this subject. 
Hydro-pneumatics , as applied to mountings, forms part of 
the artillery instruction. 
5. Mechanism. Instruction of a very practical sort is given, 
which includes gears and machinery of every description, 
most likely to be met with in artillery service. 
6. Theoretical Artillery. A cdet’s knowledge of theoretical 
artillery ought to be very good. He is taught gunnery, the 
manufacture of ordnance, the classes of ammunition, fuzes, 
etc., and the construction and working of the more important 
mountings. His instruction in this subject leaves little to be 
desired, and if he can remember one-half what he is taught, 
he may be considered well up in it. 
