708 A NOTE ON THE GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1892. 
enough as would we all hail the possibility of its being carried out, I 
do not see how this could be accomplished except under exceptionally 
favourable local circumstances. 
Now, on the other hand, let us assume that an order be issued that 
“ the battery should be ready for the practice ground” by the 1st 
May annually : this would leave a fortnight's margin for the march to 
Okehampton, &c. 
Next, on this assumption, how are we going to fit in the annual 
course of each battery of a three-battery Brigade Division, so as to 
allow the battery courses, including the combined manoeuvres under 
the Lieut.-Colonel, to be completed by the 1st May ? 
From the 15th March to the 1st May is only six weeks. It is 
manifestly impossible then to squeeze the course, proposed by Major 
Murray, for three batteries, occupying as it would (as already shown) 
three-and-a-half months, into those six weeks. 
Can we curtail any of the proposed course? Would not half of 
the fortnight allotted for the combined manoeuvres under the Lieut.- 
Colonel suffice ? One working week, that is, five days of daily 
combined manoeuvres ought surely to be sufficient to freshen up bat¬ 
teries of any ordinary standard. 
This would leave five weeks, or say 36 days, for the courses of the 
three batteries ; or 12 days for each battery. Which 12 days, I am 
sure, every Battery Commander would find none too many for his own 
portion of the course. Where only two batteries were concerned, 
each would have 18 days. But I prefer to endeavour to show what 
might be done for the larger command. 
Now this necessitates the omission of the “ Sub-divisional Drill” 
and the “ Section Drill,” unless the Battery Commander can arrange 
that these preliminary portions of the course be carried out before the 
actual drill season opens. And I do not doubt that Battery Com¬ 
manders could and would arrange so that this would be done. 
“ A connected course of instruction extending throughout the year,” 
to use Major Murray's own words, ought in itself to ensure the training 
he contemplates as “ Sub-divisional ” and “ Sectional ” being carried 
out. 
Standing gun drill, fuze drill, and laying, would naturally form the 
chief features of such a connected course, together with instruction as 
to the sights. Whilst the “ mechanical precision,” which he alludes 
to under “ Sub-divisional drill,” can hardly be expected to result from 
one week’s extra such drill; but must rather be looked for as the out¬ 
come of a “ connected ” system from year's end to year's end. 
If Battery Commanders, when they drill their batteries, accept Lord 
Roberts' dictum, namely :— 
(1.) At every drill parade of the battery one or more positions 
should be taken up for coming into action under service 
conditions with regard not only to the selection of the 
positions and the manoeuvring of the battery up to them, 
but the carrying out of every detail. 
(2.) Shells and cartridges should be brought up to the guns. 
(3.) Fuzes prepared. 
