18 OKEHAMPTON EXPERIENCES, 1894, 
manceuvres, by officers belonging to other arms, for apparently exposing guns and 
wagons unnecessarily, by placing them somewhat down the slope. Of course it 
is impossible to lay down any ruleapplicable to every nature of ground, but, when 
in a hurry, men are apt to act largely according to habit, and it is as well, there- 
fore, to medicate some normal method. I should say that, in our service at 
present, the tendency is to get on top, or in front of, rather than behind the crest. 
CotonEL G. H. Marsuaty—tThat is avery large question. I think it is very 
much a matter of the back-ground, and also the nature of the slope. If you have 
a very steep slope I should say that it was inadvisable to go down forward into it, 
because you immediately put yourself into a position to enable the enemy to 
observe every shell very distinctly. If the slope is a very great one you are 
rendering his observation of the fire very easy, otherwise I think that the going 
forward is an advantage. 
Tuz CuarrmMan—If no other gentleman desires to speak, I will now ask Major 
Hughes to reply to the remarks that have been made. 
Masor A. J. Wueues—With regard to the questions that have been asked, 
first with regard to what Colonel Ollivant said about casualties, I should think 
that some label would be a very good thing. Some Battery Commanders adopted 
the plan of sitting down, or tumbling down, which seemed to answer well, 
although perhaps it is not very dignified. With a view of getting more practice 
in regard to casualties, it has been suggested that the Captain should take one of 
the Competitive series. 
As to the suggestion of sergeants laying in one series of the Competitive, several 
officers mentioned it to me this year during the practice. The only drawback 
appears to be, that if you have a battery with five sergeants who are layers, and 
one who is not, it is rather invidious having the other five out and not him. 
With regard to what Major Simpson said, as to petards being fired from the 
target battery, I hope that next year we may use them inasimilar manner. This 
year was the first time that they have been tried, and they were not very 
extensively used. 
As to the French using the clinometer more, that also, I think, is rather the 
tendency with us. Several reports, that have come in, have suggested that more 
clinometer laying should be done. 
As to what Major McDonnell said about the ranging rounds being laid by an 
officer, I am sorry that some officers, who have had much experience of actual 
shooting with a battery, have not given us their opinion; but to me it appears that 
it would be rather slow. I believe it is done abroad. I saw in some book that 
in Germany, when the target is difficult to see, one man goes down and lays all 
the guns for the first round. In such a case, i myself, should prefer each layer 
to use the clinometer for elevation, direction being given from the end of the 
handspike. 
With regard to what Captain Blunt said as to range-finding, I did not mean 
to disparage the 1ange-takers. Certainly, on occasions with a quick target 
or anything like that, one must accept their range at once. But what I more 
especially intended to point out was, that with a standing target, like an artillery 
one, at a long range you must range on it, and only use the range-finder’s range 
as a guide for the first shot. 
With regard to what Major May said as to the firing at short ranges and being 
able to work the range and the fuze together, that was rather with regard to the 
three series fired at short ranges, which varied from 700 to 1200 yards. I think 
the nearest was about 700 yards, and the furthest 1150 yards. 
As to signallers, I saw very little use of them indeed, except in signalling from 
the battery. to the range party during the elementary practice, and then they were 
not very successful. 
