536 
SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1892 . 
sportman's eye for the country, which alone can compete with unfore¬ 
seen difficulties of ground, light, background, &c. 
(d .)— Continuation op Fire. 
Under this heading come the important subjects of rate, succession, 
and distribution of fire. 
Bate of Fire .—Is governed by the importance of the object in view 
and by the economic question of the supply of ammunition. 
Whatever rate is employed it should be regular, in order to counter¬ 
act the tendency of the fire to become hurried under the growing- 
excitement of the men as the action progresses. If possible, that rate 
of fire should be selected which will ensure the ammunition supply not 
being exhausted before a fresh supply comes within reach; this, how¬ 
ever, is not always feasible, as tactical requirements or pressing danger 
may call for a rapid expenditure. 
The subject of the replenishment of ammunition will be referred to 
later. 
Succession of Fire .—A succession of fire once ordered should be 
strictly adhered to, the irregular discharge of the guns being the first 
sign that the battery is getting out of hand. This succession should 
be right through the battery from a flank and is determined and 
ordered by the Battery Commander. Should any other succession be 
necessary, such as that through two batteries, then it will be ordered 
by the higher commanders and the line of batteries told off accord- 
ingly. 
It is sometimes necessary to employ fire by sections, viz., when firing 
at a quickly moving target, especially when case shot is used. This 
method should be employed with caution, as it may, to some extent, 
relax the hold of the Battery Commander over the fire of his battery, 
and would be very likely to do so in the excitement of a cavalry charge 
being pushed home. 
Distribution of Fire .—The rules which influence the selection of any 
particular method of distribution are, to a great extent, an element of 
“ Fire Tactics ” and should thus be taken into account by the Com¬ 
manders of Brigade Divisions in apportioning the target among the 
batteries. But the actual distribution, as carried out by the medium 
of Fire Discipline, is, naturally, part of the duty of the Battery 
Commander. 
It is a subject which, though capable of variation according to cir¬ 
cumstances, is barely noticed in our drill-book, and then as if there 
were only one nature of distribution. Although, until lately, it has 
received such scant attention from us, abroad great stress is laid upon 
an early distribution, as an important step towards securing immunity 
from the effect of the enemy's fire by making our own felt, and impor¬ 
tance is attached to the study of its different natures. 
It should be impressed upon gun-layers that the normal state of the 
fire of a battery is a distributed fire, and that concentration for ranging 
purposes is an unavoidable evil, to be evaded when possible. This 
does not apply, of course, to the concentration of the fire of several 
batteries against a tactical point. 
