FIGURE OF MERIT. 
191 
It will be observed that where the guns in the work are of the same 
nature and consequently of the same striking energy, the figures of 
merit arrived at by the two methods are practically identical; but that 
where these striking energies differ, i.e., if there are different natures 
of guns, there is a considerable difference in the value of the figures 
obtained. 
This is easily explained, for one company may do better than another 
with the guns having higher striking energies but yet not so well on 
the whole as to hits in time per gun as another which has fired better 
and more rapidly with the lighter guns. 
The first named company would then not appear so good as the 
second if judged by “ hits per gun per minute,” but still it might 
realize a greater proportion of the possible S.B. of the work and thus 
become first if judged by this method. 
An example of this is shown by “A.” company firing from Fort X, 
Table I. 
Here the figure given by the usual method is considerably greater 
than that by this method because all the hits were made by the light¬ 
er guns and none by the heavy one. Similarly the places of “E” and 
“F” Companies are reversed in the table by the Figure of Merit based 
on striking energy. The reason being that “E” Company does well 
with the heavier guns and “F” only gets two ricochets from the same, 
although more are obtained by it with the lighter natures. 
3. In time, if this method be used, it will be quite easy to assign 
a certain factor to any work as the factor of effect of that work as 
compared to any other. 
That is, the practice from one work may be directly compared with 
that from any other, by dividing by the factor of effect of the first 
work with respect to the second. 
And, if some one work be taken as a standard, and the factors of 
effect of all works be recorded with respect to it, then the practice from 
all works can be reduced to a common standard and the comparative 
merits of all companies can be at once found. 
These factors cannot, naturally, be obtained at once; but, in course 
of time, they may easily be arrived at. 
4. - It must be assumed that if a large number of practices from 
different works be taken and the average figure of those from each 
work obtained, the differences shewn by these average figures will be 
due, not to difference in the shooting of the various sets of companies, 
but to factors depending on the local features of the works themselves; 
such as, facilities of command, communication of orders, means of pass¬ 
ing ranges, &c., &c. 
This will, obviously, be the case if sufficient different series can be 
averaged at each work and the only question is as to what numbers 
will suffice for a first approximation ; certainly not less than twenty 
and it is unlikely that these will be obtained under three years. 
5. This necessitates the keeping of careful records of the figures of 
merit of all practice— 
I. By Stations. 
IT. By Works. 
