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MODE OF OBTAINING A FIGURE OF MERIT, FOR COMPARING 
THE SHOOTING OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES, 
FROM DIFFERENT WORKS. 
— BY — 
LIEUTENANT P. K. LEWES, R.A, 
[Lieut. Lewes has allowed me to say a few words of introduction to this very interesting descrip¬ 
tion of the mode he proposes, by which it is hoped that, in time to come, through the keeping 
of careful records of the shooting of Coast Artillery at all stations, in the manner now officially 
ordered, we may eventually be enabled to compare, satisfactorily, within limits, the shooting of 
any company with that of any other company, whereever stationed and from whatever work and 
guns they may respectively practice with. 
Tie method proposed by him is a very sound one, I think, and promises well. 
Nor must it be, for a moment, supposed that the end aimed at, is merely a theoretical one—quite 
the contrary—it is in fact a practical one and one of great importance if we wish to improve the 
shooting of our Coast Artillery; if, in time, we are enabled by means of it, to say of a company, 
(wherever quartered and whatever the conditions under which it carries on its practice for the year) 
this company shoots well or badly, as the case may be; it falls short of the proper standard by so 
much, or otherwise. 
We should be brought into line with other aims, as to that definite comparison of the proficiency 
in shooting of one unit with another, which is so necessary for stimulating emulation, for enabling 
us to reward advance and zeal, and to discourage, and if requisite, to penalize inefficiency and in- 
competence.—J. F. Owen, Major-General, Malta, 6 January, 1899.] 
A S it has been urged against the Figure of Merit “ Hits per gun 
per Minute ” that the calibre of the gun is not taken into ac¬ 
count, and also, that when using this figure various corrections should 
be made to compensate for height of work, probable accuracy of the 
guns, &c., &c., it seems desirable, if possible, to fix a figure of merit 
which shall be free from these defects. 
This may, to a great extent, be obtained if the figure be so taken as 
to express a proportion only, instead of a definite quantity, as hits per 
gun per minute. 
For example, if instead of the figure being simply hits per gun per 
minute, it were :— 
Hits per Gun per Minute obtained, 
' ' * Hits per Gun per Minute possible from the work. 
then, no matter what the height of the work or probable error of the 
guns, the figure of merit so counted would express the value of the 
company firing, as obtaining a certain proportion of the effective 
hitting power of the work. And the company obtaining the highest 
proportion would be the best. 
4 . VOL. XXVI. 
