408 commended essay, 1899. 
B. Young Officers on First Appointment. 
On leaving the Academy, most young officers have, until quite re¬ 
cently, been sent for a short course at Shoeburyness. 
This plan, though satisfactory from an instructional point of view, 
is not without its disadvantages. 
The first impressions of the service which a young officer receives 
will often last him throughout his life, and he should immediately be 
brought in touch with his seniors and with regimental work, and be 
taught how to conduct himself in mess and on parade. At Shoebury¬ 
ness, young officers are little better than cadets, they are nobody’s 
children, they herd together and get but little chance of acquaintance 
with other officers and practically no knowledge of regimental work. 
We would suggest that those posted to stations where there is a Gun¬ 
nery Instructor, should join their companies forthwith, and that all 
others should be attached to companies at Dover, Portsmouth, or Ply¬ 
mouth, according to the Division they belong to, for a period of two 
months. They would come under the immediate command of the 
officers commanding companies so far as discipline and duties are con¬ 
cerned, but for certain fixed hours per day would be entirely under 
the Instructor of Gunnery. 
The dates of joining of each batch should be fairly well known, and 
it might then be arranged that a certain number of young non-com¬ 
missioned officers and 1st class gunners should be told off to go 
through the course with them, a plan which would be beneficial in 
many ways, for “ Being at work with non-commissioned officers who 
are anxious to learn has a good effect on young officers as regards both 
discipline and instruction.”* 
The young officers should take their places in the ranks until they 
have shown themselves sufficiently proficient to take command of, and 
drill, detachments. Opinions vary considerably as to the advisability 
of this, some saying that an officer will not have the same authority 
over men that he has drilled shoulder to shoulder with ; but we think 
that if an officer has drilled with his men, and shown himself smart 
and attentive, and good at detail, they will know his real worth and 
respect him accordingly. 
The course should be progressive and systematic, a regular pro¬ 
gramme of work being drawn up according to the appliances avail¬ 
able, which should include the following if possible : — 
Drill with quick-firing guns as working numbers and as Gun Group 
Commanders. This should be first taught, to ensure quickness in 
movement and decision, and as being the most important part of 
coast defence. 
Drill with the principal heavy guns in the station, R.M.L. and B.L., 
as working numbers, Layers and Gun Captains, then as Gun Group 
Commanders. 
Working of groups with Depression Range Finder and Position 
Finder in use, employing cases I., II., and III.; lectures being given on 
Coast Defence generally, on the Battery Commander’s duties and the 
Colonel J. F. Bally, R.A. “ Report of School of Gunnery.” 1894. 
