6 OKEHAMPTON EXPERIENCES, 1894. 
nearest 700 yards. The battery fired for four minutes at the furthest, 
and three minutes at each of the others. 
The average results in the 19 minutes were :—Rounds fired, 60:2 ; 
hits, 81 ; dummies disabled, 32°3; but the chief interest lies in the 
various methods adopted for attacking such a target. Although, per- 
haps, hardly a service target, it was generally considered a good one, 
since it required quickness, and shewed if a battery could adapt itself 
to novel conditions. 
The following three methods were employed :— 
1, Telling off a ranging section and keeping the other four guns 
for time shrapnel, in a very similar manner to that laid 
down for an advancing target. 
2. Ranging on the farthest, in the usual manner, and then keep- 
ing up ordinary fire, and when the change of target was 
ordered, simply giving “Change target. Range ——, 
fuze ——,” and if these were not correct, changing either 
without interrupting “ ordinary fire.” 
3. Very similar to the second, but using “ rapid fire, by sections,” 
in place of ordinary fire. 
The first system appeared to answer well provided there was no 
hitch, but if anything went wrong, such as a ranging gun being out of 
action for a short time, the whole battery was liable to be upset. 
The second method was, by almost universal opinion, considered the 
best. It seemed to run smoothest, and casualties hardly affected it; as 
many rounds were fired as with the others, and better results were 
obtained. 
The third system resulted in uncontrolled and, consequently, unaimed 
fire, and great waste of ammunition. 
A slow-moving target, advancing from about 2000 to 1000 yards, was 
tried for the first time at Okehampton. Although the ground had pre- 
viously been considered too rough, it worked well, and only two runs 
were spoilt by the rope being cut. Next year there will be a better 
target, running on rails down hill. Whe series was to range on a 
column, distant about 2100 yards, and then, as soon as ordinary fire was 
reached, the moving target, placed about 50 yards to the flank of the 
column, started off, firing petards as it began to move, in order to draw 
attention to it. It advanced at a walk for about 900 yards, the average 
time it was moving being about 10 minutes. The number of rounds 
fired at it in the time varied from six to 41, the average being 23. 
Some Battery Commanders adopted the system of a ranging section, 
whilst others tried ordinary fire round the battery, dropping range and 
fuze as the target advanced. 
Failure in the ranging section system was generally due to the delays 
caused by :— 
1. Not giving the order for the time sections soon enough. 
2. Changing the fuzes of the second and third rounds after they 
were already set. 
3. Not setting the second and third fuzes at the limber. 
4. Ranging section not giving sufficient deflection to ensure the 
rounds being to windward. 
