COMMENDED ESSAY, 1892 . 
611 
in fire power, or the remark made in reference to the latter batch— 
u there must be something very wrong in the training and command 
of a battery to lead to such a serious defect in a vital point;” 1 2 To 
judge from the summary of competitive practice, the six Horse Artil¬ 
lery Batteries from Aldershot and Woolwich are superior in Fire Dis¬ 
cipline to the first prize batteries from Newbridge. But they failed in 
fire power, and to qualify for a prize. The number of dummies disabled 
in a series may depend on many variable conditions of range, light, 
weather, and luck, apart from accurate laying and observation of fire. 
At Okehampton, especially, there is little difference, so far as shooting 
is concerned, between a battery that scores 320 and another scoring 
250, on the sort of targets used in the series. That the 58th Field 
Battery (which thoroughly knows the ground, and “ is noted for its 
proficiency in rapid and accurate shooting” 3 ) only scored 190 on the 
targets, pretty well proves this fact. Taking the figures for last year 
the 49th Field Battery heads the list, but if the maximum for Fire 
Discipline were raised to 400, the order of merit would run :— 
Credits. 
50°/ o allowance. 
Fire Discipline. 
Total. 
Order of merit 
in 1891. 
Series 1. 
Series 2. 
Series 3. 
1 
62nd Field Battery 
... 
92 
30 
60 
91 
386 
659 
8 th. 
2 
66th H 
* 
... 
80 
52 
54 
93 
373 
652 
6th. 
3 
£ 
o 
oo 
' 11 
168 
62 
86 
— 
333 
649 
2nd. 
4 
67th „ 
i:; 
104 
62 
80 
— 
400 
646 
13th. 
6 
49th „ 
152 
86 
90 
— 
300 
628 
1st. 
A consideration of these facts seems to point to the conclusion that 
the credits given for effects on the targets are too high compared with 
the marking for Fire Discipline. The element of luck may tell con¬ 
siderably in the former, but never in the latter, if the judging is 
uniform. This year the maximum has been increased to 100. This 
does not appear sufficient to counteract the element of luck, and 
“ adequately discriminate between the various shades of excellence to 
which the batteries have been worked up.” 3 It appears unsatisfactory 
that a battery which is credited with only three-quarters of full marks 
should head the list. Gfood shooting must always be a sine c^ud non , 
but if Fire Discipline is to be secured it must be made the prominent 
feature in the competitive practice of the future. 
System of Command. 
It is impossible not to be struck with the fact that the shooting of 
1 Para. 68 “ Instructions for Practice, 1892.” 
2 “ Experiences at Okehampton in 1891,” by Captain W. L. White, R.A., R.A.I. “Proceed¬ 
ings,” January, 1892. 
3 “ Experiences at Okehampton, 1891,” by Captain W. L. White, R.A, 
