174 
SHOOTING OF COAST ARTILLERY. 
In time to come, it is hoped that the difficulties mentioned 
may he overcome and that by means of some practical method of re¬ 
ducing the value of the fire results, from any work, and from any 
number or nature of guns, to a common factor, it may become possible 
to value a company's shooting by the results of all its “ service " 
practice during the year, whether “ company " or “ combined." The 
method proposed by Lieut. P. K. Lewes, It. A.,* seems to point to a 
possible solution. 
It is very clear that the mode of carrying out the competitive firing 
now proposed is, in its conditions, as near that which we may expect 
to exist if actually firing at an enemy's ship, as it is possible to be in 
peace practice. This is a most important point. 
Modern conditions of naval attack seem to make it probable, that 
an enemy's ship will only be in the fire area of a work for a very 
limited period of time, say ten to twenty minutes, whether she is passing 
it to make a reconnaisance, or running straight in towards it to get to 
close quarters to make a real attack, and that during that short period, 
it is most imperative that a coast work should deliver as many effect¬ 
ive rounds against her as is possible. 
The conditions of the existing system of competitive prize firing by 
no means correspond with the above, and are indeed very artificial. 
12. Proposed new system of carrying out service practice 
AS COMPETITIVE PRIZE FIRING. 
The new system very briefly described below, is by authority, being 
carried out in the Malta command this year, (1898-99,) and so far 
with excellent results, on the whole, and much to the satisfaction of 
all concerned, for it is evident that both officers and men recognize 
how much more nearly the practice under it, approximates to what 
would be their actual work in war, than the prize firing under the 
system so far existing. 
Table Q. in Appendix III. shows the results of one days practice 
made under this new system, compared with the average results of the 
whole of the competitive prize firing of the year 1897-98 reduced to 
the same measure. It will be seen how far better it is than the best 
of that year under the existing system, and yet all concerned were 
quite fresh to it. We may hope for much better results, as they be¬ 
come more thoroughly accustomed to what is now so novel to them. 
It is believed that the eventual adoption of the system, for the 
whole of the coast artillery, (with such modifications as experience in 
it may show are necessary,) will tend vastly to better matters and lead 
to as great an improvement in the tactical working and in the shoot¬ 
ing of that branch as somewhat similar changes have brought about 
in the mobile artillery. 
The proposed system is but very shortly described in this paragraph 
to show as clearly as possible, the main points in which it differs or 
not from that now existing, but a full description, with all the details 
necessary to be known by those who would have to carry it out, is 
given in Appendix I. 
* “ Mode of obtaining a Figure of Merit, for comparing the shooting of different Comp es, 
from different Works.” R.A.I. “ Proceedings,” No. 4., Yol. XXVI, 
