2 
RANGING A BATTERY. 
(e) That there should be no sounds except from Section Officers, 
who repeat Commanding Officers’ words of command. 
(/) That if the Commanding Officer has been unable to clearly 
explain the exact object to be laid upon, he should himself lay the 
sights of the windward gun on it and cause Sectional Officers to look 
over them. 
Thus far in principles one can agree entirely with Captain Horne, 
but the details of his plan for working them out are open to criticism, 
and as most of the weak points have already been brought to notice by 
writers in the journal, I will proceed to discuss their remarks. 
In the “ Proceedings ” of February 1891, Captain W. L. White, 
R.A., condemns the attempt to obtain better results, because Foreign 
Nations have found the system of ranging proposed, to be wanting. 
This is no sufficient ground for condemnation; Foreign Nations 
might with as much reason have condemned breech-loading for Field 
guns, because the English nation condemned it. 
Captain White further on says, the new proposals violate a vital 
principle, viz., “ That all orders issuing from a Commanding Officer to 
subordinates, to whom no power of initiative is delegated, must be 
repeated and not interpreted .” 
Now, in so far as concerns the gun about to fire, and a second gun 
standing ready in case of accidents, I go with him that this order is 
quite necessary, but if it be urged that five guns shall stand looking 
on to all intents and purposes idle, while the sixth fires, I say the 
sooner we cease to hold to such a theory as a vital principle the better. 
The Commanding Officer must always have two guns ready or the 
second in process of being re-laid at the range he wants, but beyond 
that, the endeavour of the remainder should be to work ahead of him 
and anticipate his requirements. 
As pointed out by Captain White, gun layers will undoubtedly be 
confused in the heat of action, but I think it can be shewn that there 
need be no calling out of many ranges ; the only range or elevation 
called out will be that at which the Commanding Officer wishes a gun 
to fire ; this, instead of confusing them, will be a basis whereon to 
correct their mistakes when they have erred. 
Sectional Commanders or the Commanding Officers may be put out 
of action ; this might happen under any scheme, but no further dislo¬ 
cation of work should occur than under the present system. 
It was undoubtedly a weak point in Captain Horne’s proposal that 
after the range was first given, guns were fired at the command “ Shot ” 
and it was not till the fifth or sixth round that a range was again 
given. The Commanding Officer had no guarantee, without asking 
questions, that guns were being fired as he required, and the Officers 
and Nos. 1 had no certainty that they were firing at the range the 
Commanding Officer expected from them. 
To be sure of this is an absolute necessity, and the result is attained 
with complete certainty by the Commanding Officer calling out the 
range he wants a gun fired at each time, after he makes his observation. 
If the drill has been properly performed he will find a gun ready for 
him, and a second being re-laid at that range, and if mistakes have 
