OKEHAMPTON EXPERIENCES, 1894. 9 
considerably different levels, and this not being noticed led to difficulty 
in ranging. Hven when noticed it is hard to correct, especially with 
our present clinometer. The correction for each section has practically 
to be guessed, some idea of it may, perhaps, be ascertained from the 
range-finder’s range in combination with the rule of one minute giving 
an inch in each 100 yards; or roughly, 10 minutes will give the cor- 
rection for the same number of feet that there are 100 of yards in 
range. The difficulty, however, of remembering such rules and figures 
would, I think, induce one to evade rather than overcome the trouble. 
Thus, if the slope is from a flank, one could range with the centre sec- 
tion, and then on opening ordinary fire the section on one flank would 
shoot long and that on the other short, the mean trajectory being cor- 
rect. Or again, as actually happened, a cross-fire may attain the 
desired object if the target is inclined to the line of fire. Another 
difficulty that cropped up was that of deflection. It being sometimes 
forgotten that after the first general deflection for wind the Battery 
Commander must order it for dividual guns according to the result 
of their fire, since the pickets may be wrong and Section Commanders 
cannot see the target. He can either order the actual deflection him- 
self, thus “ No. 2 gun 10 minutes more deflection right,” or else can 
call out “last round 20 feet to left,’ and leave the Section Commander 
to give the necessary correction. 
RESULTS. 
The results are arranged in as nearly as possible the same form as 
those of last year, but even so, afford small basis for comparison on 
account of the different nature and positions of the targets used. 
As to the artillery target, it is the first time for some years that so 
short a range, 2000 yards, has been used. The results are rather dis- 
appointing, for the difference seems to have led to no increased effect. 
The guns were placed just short of rather a flat crest, the background 
was dark, and made the target difficult to see, only about three guns 
on one flank being at all clear. They were first placed so that the 
ground line of Holstock, where the bateries come into action, could just 
be seen, but when placed thus, it was found they could not be seen 
from Holstock except with glasses, and then only with difficulty, they 
were therefore run forward until about the upper half could be seen. 
It would be rather interesting to let them fire petards every 30 seconds 
and try a series at them as at first placed. 
Two series were fired under conditions suggested by officers of the 
other arms. Both were arranged with a view to seeing the depth 
covered by shrapnel bullets. 
In the first series the targets consisted of four lines covering one 
another at 300 yards distance. The first line contained 50 kneeling 
dummies, the second and third 50 standing, and the fourth 20 Hessians. 
The battery began on the third, then changed to the second and then 
the front, firing for five minutes at each. The average effect of two 
batteries was fourth line, 40°5 hits 19 Hessians; third line, 157 hits on 
36°5 dummies; second line, 107 hits on 37 dummies; first line, 38°5 
hits on 19°5 dummies. In this series the effect due to the depth is 
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