OKEHAMPTON EXPERIENCES, 1594. 5 
that those at present in use are quite sufficient, and that more are only 
confusing. Repetition of, and extra orders, were still sometimes heard. 
A repetition considered necessary by some Battery Commanders was 
that of repeating the range after a doubtful observation. This seems 
unnecessary, because, having been given once, the guns are ready laid ; 
further, it causes delay, because of the many repetitions which it necessi- 
tates (four for each doubtful round), and also because the layer, hearing 
an elevation given, forgets that his gun is already laid, and is apt to put 
his sight in the gun and start re-laying. During slow fire, time was 
sometimes lost by the Battery Commander, intent on the target, not 
noticing when a gun was ready. ‘l'o obviate this some Commanding 
Officers allowed their Section Commanders to draw their attention 
verbally ; others trained their recorders to always look in the battery, 
and then when the Section Commander signalled, to say “ Gun ready, 
Sibenae 
APPEARING TARGETS. 
Petards were always fired at any new target, both as it appeared 
and also a few seconds after. The moving targets, both cavalry and 
infantry, also fired them just previous to, and when they began to move ; 
and orders were issued that, whenever any petards were noticed, fire 
was to be at once turned on to that target. ‘The system worked well, 
and even when the petards had to be supplemented by orders, they 
were of great use in enabling the Battery Commander to quickly find 
the new target. 
In one series a target of kneeling dummies appeared on the left flank 
as the battery was on the move. When it appeared, some batteries» 
were in column of sections, most of them wheeled towards the target 
and came into action front, others wheeled away and came into action 
rear. ‘This latter was generally considered best ; it was quicker, and 
had the further advantage that, should any of the horses be struck, the 
limbers would not prevent fire being opened ; to do it, however, re- 
quires practice, because, undoubtedly, one’s natural inclination is to 
wheel up. 
A few batteries even preferred coming into action rear on ordinary - 
occasions. ‘I'his preference is partly due, I think, to the time limit. 
For with action rear the first gun is, as a rule, got off slightly quicker, 
because Nos. 1, 2 and 8 can go on with the laying while 4 and 5 are 
strugeling with the magazines ; but with action front they can do little 
until 4 and 5, having got rid of the magazines, have come to the wheels. 
On the other hand, the great essentials of dressing and intervals, 
with action rear, are rarely so good, and this difficulty, in the judg- 
ment of most, more than over-balanced the slight advantage of a 
quicker first gun. 
HicHELON AND Movine Targurts. 
An echelon series, very similar to the trial two fired last year, formed 
part of the battery service. The target consisted of three sets of 15 
standing dummies (each in line), and three sets of 15 kneeling dummies. 
They were supposed to represent advancing infantry, and were placed 
in echelon at different intervals, the farthest at about 2200, and the 
