SHOOTING- OF COAST ARTILLERY. 
181 
also fill in form E. as soon as the duplicate (company) report is ready 
and hand them all to the Battery Commander. 
The umpire will have with him printed on hectographed forms, as 
under, which will be filled in by him in ink on the spot. 
Table D.—Preventable errors. 
Form A.— For that particular practice, to be filled in from 
his practice report when completed. 
(d). As soon as the whole of the above have been com¬ 
pleted, a conference will, at once, be held in the work, of the officers 
taking part in the practice and of all others present. These will 
always include the I.G., I.R.F., etc. 
The following general course will be pursued. The senior officer 
present will call upon the umpire to point out the results of the 
practice, the figure of merit obtained and the preventable errors or 
defects in drill or the working of personnel or materiel , as he or his 
assistants have noted as affecting the practice. The specialist officers, 
Instructor of Gunnery, etc., will then remark on any points they have 
observed as requiring attention. The Battery Commander, Gun group 
Commander, Range Officer, and Range group Commander (if any) 
will afterwards make their explanations or remarks on the points 
brought forward, every officer being allowed free expression of his 
opinion. 
Any doubtful point, e.g., as who was responsible for errors com¬ 
mitted or as to any defect in or damage to materiel being thoroughly 
gone into then and there until a clear and definite conclusion on the 
same has been arrived at. 
(Notes on these points will be made by the umpire and the O.C. 
unit to which the firing company belongs for completing their subse¬ 
quent covering reports—see below). 
The records of the umpire, however, can, in no case, be impugned, 
they will be taken as correct as against any other data. 
The senior officer present will finally sum up (putting the same in 
writing) giving his opinion on all the points brought forward.* He 
will also remark on the fire discipline of the company as shown by the 
drill and tactical working during the practice—this being entirely his 
province and not that of the umpire, (who is chief observer and 
responsible director of the practice, though without interfering with 
the actual fighting of the work). The criticism thus made will be final* 
as to the days’ practice, unless the 0.0. or G.O.C. of the district, on 
receipt of the reports next day, wishes to make any general remarks to 
be published to those concerned. 
(e). As soon as the conference is over the B.O. himself or 
through his officers will explain to the N.C.O.’s and men faults or 
errors committed by them, or as to defects in materiel , etc. He will 
then “ replace stores ” and march them home. 
N.B.—Until the whole of the above is completed no officer or man 
concerned in the practice will quit the work. 
* A specimen “ critique ” is given at the end of this appendix. 
