8 OKEHAMPTON EXPERIENCES, 1894. 
decision as to what was to be done with shell in the guns at the time the 
change was made, and many batteries did not get fairly started at the 
target until it had completed almost half its run. The quickest change 
was made in 80 seconds, and was by a battery employing the ordinary 
fire method, and it certainly is one of the advantages of that method, 
that the change is easier and quicker. 
RancGina. 
The system of ranging by echelon, or ladder of distances, again 
cropped up and was tried on several occasions, with almost invariably 
bad results. Thus, on one occasion the Commanding Officer mis- 
judged the range, about 2100 yards, by over 400 yards, and used eight 
ranging rounds before obtaining a plus, whereas with the ordinary 
method he would probably only have needed half as many. It ap- 
pears to me that quickness in ranging for elevation at short ranges 
should be gained more by quickness on the part of the Battery Com- 
mander in making up his mind and giving orders for the next round 
at once, than by an elaborate special system that is liable to collapse 
should anything unforseen occur. Almost always, at short ranges, 
glasses can be dispensed with, this alone will save 10 or 20 seconds a 
round. Again, ranging to 25 yards is not required before going to 
fuze, at so short a range there is little difficulty in working both to- 
gether. Some Battery Commanders gave three lengths of fuze as 
suggested last year, and it again appeared to work well; some even 
attempted it at long ranges, but at these I hardly think it succeeded. 
The judgment of distances was often at fault, and how difficult it is 
to estimate even a short range, 700 to 1200 yards, was conclusively shewn 
by the three series fired at those ranges. It was rarely that the first 
elevation was within 300 yards, on some occasions not within 700. 
Another thing noticed at short ranges was that the fuzes almost in- 
variably were very short, this was especially the case when firing down 
hill, most batteries having them from 150 to 200 yards short. 
FIRE FROM UNDER COVER. 
The fire from under cover was hardly so successful as that of last 
year. ‘The position was certainly a more difficult one, for it required 
very careful reconnoitring to get the battery well covered from the 
enemy’s view. Insufficient reconnoitring and moving the layers out too 
soon generally ended in extra delay; it saved time in the end to 
thoroughly reconnoitre the whole front to be occupied before calling out 
the layers, for when once the latter are out any change is sure to lead 
to confusion. 
The actual time taken planting pickets varied from two to nearly 
14 minutes, and was quickest in those batteries whose layers planted 
their pickets as at drill. The Commanding Officer pointing out the 
position of a front flank picket and the other layers simply extending 
from it. Done this way, from two to three minutes is ample time in 
which to plant them. It also saves time if Section Commanders re- 
main out and superintend the planting of the pickets, only returning 
to the battery when the layers are in position. 
Another difficulty of the position was, that the guns were often on 
