84 OKEHAMPTON, 1895. 
CONCLUSION. 
In conclusion, gentlemen, I would draw your attention to a passage 
from the first lecture of what I may perhaps call the Okehampton 
series. Speaking hear seven years ago, Colonel Walford said, “ Out- 
side the regiment there is the army, and the verdict of the army on the 
regiment is that by which we must stand or fall, must gain or lose 
prestige.”” Since then we have given every opportunity to officers of 
the other arms to see us at our practice camps—not only in England, but 
in Ireland and in India. It is because Iam so impressed with the truth 
of the words I have just read to you and with the value of the closest 
co-operation between the arms that I have to-night so often quoted the 
opinions of cavalry and infantry officers. I will finish my lecture with 
one more of such quotations, the words of a staff officer who draws a 
direct comparison between the first and last year of the period I have 
chosen for review. Writing this summer he says “I was struck with 
the splendid fire discipline of the artillery, and the absence of all noise 
in the battery. This was especially noticeable to me as in 1888, when 
I for the first time served with artillery, I was struck with the noise 
and shouting which took place. Now, however, the artillery go into 
action with almost complete silence. Could not the infantry take 
example from their artillery comrades, and like them have their men so 
trained by constant drill practice that every man will know his duty, 
and, like the gunner, do it without noise and without confusion.” 
DISCUSSION. 
Tur CHarrMaNn—Gentlemen, we have listened to a most interesting and in- 
structive lecture—very interesting indeed in its retrospect. Any of us who look 
back to the year 1888 can remember the shocking waste of ammunition before 
that time. 1 commanded a Brigade Division that went to Okehampton that year, 
and I well remember that the Books of Instruction were issued to some batteries 
on the line of march. It was not wonderful, therefore, that not much advance 
was made that year. But still, some jumped at it at once and made a good 
start. Looking on from that date it is perfectly marvellous the advance that 
has been made, and the only thing to do is not to rest satisfied, but for every one 
to seek where we can improve and go on making progress, remembering always, 
as the Lecturer has pointed out to us, that nothing can be done for the Regiment 
in general unless we work on one system and under one rule. The drill-book is 
drawn up as the result of combined experience, and unless each one sticks closely 
to it no good results to the Regiment at large can ensue. 
We have a number of officers here to-night who have been shooting at and 
attending camps, which I am sorry I have been unable to do this year, and I 
hope that they will give us the benefit of their experience and that we shall have 
a very useful discussion. 
CotoneL MarsHaLLt—lI agree thoroughly with everything that the Lecturer 
has put before us in the most interesting way, and I will only just refer to one or 
two, as I think, most important points. 
In my opinion the most important point that the Lecturer brought forward—I 
may say the key-note of everything that he said to-night—is the training of the 
battery for service; the training for service is the object of all practice. The 
Competitive it is hard to find fault with; we know the good that it has done;_ 
any fault that has to be found with the Competitive in its present state arises 
