ARTILLERY IN COAST DEFENCE. 
483 
at the same time, if possible, the type of the vessel or vessels he 
has allotted to them. Daring the action he will not interfere usually, 
except by directing the Fire Commanders to attack fresh objectives as 
may become necessary. 
The Fire Commanders, by the aid of their tables of ships, decide on 
the best way to attack their objectives; namely, what projectiles to 
use, and what part of the vessels to direct their fire upon ; and regulate 
the trajectory of the guns; changing the form of attack from time to 
time as the range changes and a fresh method becomes advisable. 
The Group Officers, supervised by the Group Commander, superin¬ 
tend the fire discipline of their groups; carrying out the orders they 
receive from the Fire Commander. 
In conclusion it must be remembered that the subject of the proper 
use to be made of Artillery in Coast Defence is one that constantly 
receives new developments. The introduction of new weapons and 
improved means of fighting them ; and the addition by foreign Powers 
of vessels of new type to their navies, continually introduce new elements 
into the problem ; therefore constant study is necessary if we wish to 
keep abreast of the times. 
We must not allow ourselves to relax our efforts to make our part 
of the coast defences as perfect as possible, from any false sense of 
security from attack. As has been pointed out by General Gillmore, 
U.S.A., in deducing the lessons to be drawn from the coast operations 
of the Civil War, 1 “ where interests of great magnitude are at stake, 
ordinary prudence would suggest that as little as possible be left to the 
caprice of chance. . . . Fleet arrayed against fleet leaves too much 
to risk and accident, with our stake on the issue immeasurably greater 
than that of the enemy. These maxims unmistakeably point to the 
necessity of depending mainly for the defence of our coasts on those 
agencies, exclusively our own, which cannot be neutralised or duplicated 
by our antagonist, and will, therefore, always keep him at a disadvan¬ 
tage, to wit: permanent shore batteries and their accessory channel 
torpedoes.” 
“ The office of permanent fortifications is chiefly to avert attack.” 
But they can only be effective for this purpose if those who have to 
defend them are so skilled in the use of their weapons, as to make the 
attack of such fortifications a difficult and costly task. 
1 “ Battles and Leaders of the Civil War,” Vol. IV., pp. 70-71. 
[Correction Tables 
