SHOOTING OP COAST ARTILLERY. 
175 
(a) . As to ammunition :— 
The necessary amount to be allotted by the G.O.C. or O.C.R.A. at 
the station, for “ station” or “ combined station and regimental” 
practice. For “ elementary ” practice, a certain proportion to be 
placed at the disposal of the O.C’s companies, for assisting new gun 
layers to get over gun shyness, for testing gun layers etc.; while to 
each company will be allotted a large amount of aiming tube ammuni¬ 
tion and electric and percussion tubes for training purposes. 
All the remainder of the ammunition available, for heavy or medium 
guns, (Q.F. excepted) to be used for company service practice, i.e. under 
the new system, competitive prize firing ; this being divided amongst 
the companies at the station, as far as possible, equally, to be fired by 
each in a given number of practices, (the same number for each) and 
from the same works by the companies in each group. 
The whole of this company practice to be competitive , and the com¬ 
panies to be judged and classified by the total results of this practice 
in the year. So that instead of the classification, prizes won, etc. de¬ 
pending on the results of one day’s practice from a single work, they 
will depend upon the results of several days practice from different 
works, and on several different days. 
(b) . Mode of arriving at classification from the results of 
practice. 
The present credits given for drill series and for so called “ fire 
discipline ” to be abolished. 
With regard to this it may be safely taken for granted that those 
companies which have been best drilled and which have been best train¬ 
ed by the discipline necessary to ensure fire control and otherwise 
good tactical working, will certainly, other things being equal, be those 
which will make the best practice. 
Major-General Richardson very truly says :— 
“ It is a great mistake to suppose that rapid work leads to 
“ inaccuracy or that slow work ensures good shooting. In most cases 
(i good shooting and rapid firing go hand in hand in competitive 
“ practice, and training for the two should go together.” 
And again “ The smartest will be the company which has managed 
“ to pitch most shell into the target in the shortest time available for 
“ actual practice.”* 
My own large experience as Commandant of the Golden Hill School 
of Instruction and as G.O.C. R.A., Malta, of the shooting of coast 
artillery leads me quite to concur in this opinion, for it has shewn me 
that (as might only be expected) it is the company best disciplined and 
trained to its work and the smartest at it, which, in nine cases out of 
ten makes the best shooting. 
The companies will be grouped as at present, those in each group 
firing similar series from each of the works from which they practice. 
Companies to be “ qualified,” however, simply and solely by the 
* See R.A.I. “ Proceedings,” No. 3, Vol. XXIV., 1897. 
