545 
SKILL- AT- MIMS. 
BY 
LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR W. J. WILLIAMS, K.C.B. 
In a paper published in the last October number of the “Proceedings,” 
an attempt was made to show that military virtue is more important 
than skill-at-arms, that in our pursuit of skill-at-arms we are sacrificing 
much that tends to military virtue, that it is better to move a brigade 
division of batteries under one command than under three commands, 
and that our latest gun-drill is very unwarlike. 
That military virtue is more important than skill-at-arms is not a 
proposition which will be accepted by officers who imagine that 
skill-at-arms will make the soldier shoot better in battle, or give him 
more self-confidence : they will argue forever that skill-at-arms is a 
considerable part of military virtue. The same objection, that skill- 
at-arms is a constituent of military virtue, can be raised against the 
second proposition. That it would be better to move a brigade division 
under one command than under three commands, if officers capable of 
moving the batteries together could be found, will not be disputed. 
The question is whether we have the officers. We have officers who say 
they could do it: we have officers who believe the officers who say they 
could do it: we have officers who write “No. Prince Kraft of Hohen- 
lohe said they could not do it, therefore we do not believe you could do it, 
so we have put in your drill-book you are not to do it.” Has any 
officer, who knows he can command a brigade division and place his 
line where he likes, ever said to any other officer, or confessed to him¬ 
self, that batteries must move independently in battle ? That our 
gun-drill is very unwarlike will not be allowed by the officers who 
make it. It it is not alleged that they designedly, to get good shoot¬ 
ing at targets, make a gun-drill which they know to be unwarlike. 
The drill they have made is unwarlike, because they have been led 
away by what has been said and is being said, mostly, if not wholly, by 
ourselves, of the great advantage of hiding from the enemy ; and 
because from want of knowledge, or of imagination, they have failed 
to distinguish between what is best for shooting at targets and what is 
good for discipline and war. 
A very high authority, than who perhaps there is none higher, is 
reported to have said, in speaking of the magazine rifle, or of smoke¬ 
less powder, or of both, “ It is well known the soldier does not aim in 
battle.” Our musketry officer, confident in his theory, and careless of 
11 . VOL. XIX. 
