COAST ARTILLERY IN ACTION. iby 
we are face to face with certain difficulties. A Battery Commander 
can never be in touch with his men to the same extent, as in an open 
work, and a position on the roof of the fort is almost forced upon him ; 
for, were he even on the actual gun-floor, he could see, at most, two or 
three detachments at a time. We must rest content with placing him 
where he can see his water-way, and at the same time be in easy reach 
of any place, where circumstances might demand his presence. ‘This 
difficulty is emphasised, when we have two tiers to deal with, especially 
if the fort is one, which must be divided into two battery commands, 
which division should be vertical and not horizontal. The latter 
arrangement is necessitated by the consideration that, the smoke of 
one group should not interfere with the laying of another. Rigid 
control of the group fire will have to be carried out, and rapidity be 
sacrificed to the necessity of a clear field of view. 
While the normal method of correcting fire must be the same as in 
an open fort, there will be great difficulty in carrying it out, and the 
position-finder will lose a good deal of its special advantages when 
placed on the roof, a position which cannot always be avoided. When 
opportunity arises, battery salvos should be employed. 
Cases also will be found, where normal methods altogether fail and 
special arrangements have to be made, such as firing at fixed points or 
fixed trainings, average ranges to the fairway being taken. These 
arrangements must be worked out locally, to suit the special difficulties 
of the case. 
Toe Fire CoMMANDER. 
With regard to Fire Commanders, I would lay stress on their getting 
a good hold of their commands, on their regarding if as a tactical body, 
for whose training for action and general readiness for any emergency, 
they are directly responsible. The important duties of organisation and 
preparation are in their hands and should be thoroughly appreciated 
by them. The limits of their command depend on local circumstances 
entirely, and the wording of the order should be carefully considered 
in each case, namely, “the size of a fire command will be governed by 
the character of the water areas to be defended, and by the number of 
forts and batteries which it may be possible for one officer to direct in 
action.” ‘The control they can hope to exercise in action, will, also, 
depend on locality, and its possible limits should be determined, as far 
as possible, experimentally. It is a matter that we do not know much 
about, and certainly wants working out. 
Seorron C.R.A. 
The Section C.R.A. will, “as a general rule, not be required,” the 
necessity for one would depend, not on the number of the Fire Com- 
mands, but on their distribution, the water-ways commanded, and the 
possibility of concentration of fire. 
Rance Correction. 
I now wish to draw attention to certain points that require either 
elaborating or working out. ‘The first of these is the “ corrections for 
range.’ We areaccustomed to consider this, as depending on the three 
factors—powder, tide and travel of target. Under the heading powder 
