COMPETITIVE PRACTICE IN THE GARRISON ARTILLERY. 559 
portion of the original structure, overs and unders, rights and lefts, 
having to be estimated, all the disadvantages without the advantages 
of a Hong Kong accruing in consequence. 
This liability to break up introduces another element of luck; a 
company, which does not destroy the target has a better chance of 
success than one that early in the practice does so, e.g., if the target is 
smashed the second or third round, just as the battery commander gets 
his range, great delay is caused and he has to commence his sequence 
of fire, so to speak, over again; moreover, it is much more difficult 
judging the errors of shots if the portion of target left to fire at is so 
small that the correct line of fire is behind it. 
For instance, if a piece of the original target, say twelve feet lone 
remains, a perfect line for the shot is six feet behind it, 2.e., where the 
centre of the original target would have been if it had not been shot 
away, now if a shot along this line strikes the water eighty or ninety 
yards beyond the target it looks a good range from a low site battery 
even through the best of telescopes, whereas if the original target is in 
existence the battery commander knows at once that an over shot 
failing to strike it must be at least the permissible error (about 50 yards 
at 2000 yards from a low site battery) beyond. 
The same remarks apply to judging shots falling short of the 
target. 
It may, therefore, make considerable difference in a company’s 
shooting if the target is or is not broken up during the first few 
rounds. 
To sum up: if a Record target could be towed as fast as a Hong Kong, 
and if it could be so constructed that it would not break up, it is 
undoubtedly the best to use, under the present conditions it is to my 
mind a very open question. 
Let us now consider whether, without altering the general system of Sugpcsied 
Competitive practice, certain modifications might not be introduced in the system 
with the object of minimizing some of the disadvantages I have spoken oat Ona 
Compet- 
of. itive practice 
What I suggest for consideration is this :— 
(1.) That out of the ammunition allowed to each company for its 
annual course, a few rounds be handed over to the company commander 
for elementary practice pure and simple, such practice to be entirely in 
his hands and to be carried out in whatever manner and with whatever 
range-finders he wishes, this will enable him to practice his untried 
gun-layers, etc. 
(2.) ‘That the whole of the rest of the practice be Competitive, 
the ammunition being allotted in equal proportions to P.F., to P.F. as 
D.R.F., and to D.R.F. 
(3.) That a fair proportion of rounds be fired at a single Hong 
Kong, or the fastest target obtainable and that it be arranged that 
most of these rounds are fired when the target is being towed with the 
tide. Under such circumstances 12 to 15 miles an hour is attainable 
with a steamer of the “ Osprey” type. 
