254 
CLASSIFICATION OF BATTERIES 
ON 
THE CLASSIFICATION OF BATTERIES OF FIELD ARTILLERY 
BY ORDER OF MERIT IN SHOOTING. 
CAPTAIN HiME, B.A., E.S.S. 
“ Todtfahren und todtreiten kann keine . . Artillerie den Feind . . . aber todtschiessen 
muss sie den Feind konnen, daber nie aufboren, Artillerie zu sein.”— Grdvenitz. 
Everyone is aware of the extraordinary impetus given to musketry 
practice in our Infantry by the classification of battalions according 
to their figure of merit, and the annual publication of Ihe result 
in General Orders. So keen is the emulation that a recognised 
inter-regimental competition has been set afoot among the officers, and 
rifle-matches frequently take place not only between the N.C. officers 
and men of the same battalion, but between N.C. officers and men of 
different battalions. Every officer, N.C. officer, and private feels that 
to a certain degree, however small that degree may be, the position 
of his battalion in the annual list depends upon his individual exer¬ 
tions j and, one and all, they task their energies to the utmost to raise 
the figure of merit as high as possible. The result is that, quite 
apart from their rifle, our Infantry are the best-shooting Infantry in 
Europe. Were some such classification attempted, it cannot be for 
one moment doubted that a similar spirit of healthy emulation would 
be generated in the Artillery, and that the efficacy of our fire would be 
immensely increased. Owing to the real and undeniable difficulties of 
the case, no plan has yet, as far as I am aware, been even proposed. 
No one can appreciate more fully than I do myself the shortcomings, 
theoretical and practical, of the following plan. If, however, it should 
lead to the discussion of the subject and the introduction of a better 
plan, my object will be accomplished. 
The 200 rounds allowed annually for practice consist of 6 case, 
50 shrapnel, and 144 common shell. 
With the case I have nothing to do : competition with it would be 
out of the question. 
I do not propose to interfere in any way with the present compe¬ 
tition for battery prizes, and I shall (for the sake of argument) 
suppose there are 10 competitors annually in each battery. As each 
competitor is allowed 2 shrapnel and 4 common shell (plugged), this 
reduces the available ammunition to 134 rounds— i.e., 30 shrapnel, 
50 common shell with time fuzes, and 54 common shell with percussion 
fuzes. 
