COAST ARTILLERY IN ACTION. 161 
forthcoming, should certainly, when possible, be in the hands of an 
officer of experience, and I have already stated my opinion, that the 
Battery Commander should retain it in his own hands, but, as we have 
seen, circumstances may arise where it will be practically in the hands 
of a Gun Captain. 
COMMUNICATIONS. 
My next point is communications: I think, as far as range is con- 
cerned, these are in a fairly satisfactory state, and that both clock and 
electric dials, each in their place, work very well. The electric order 
dial, also, has proved itself a most desirable adjunct in casemated 
works, but the broad question of the interior communications of works 
wants looking into. We want a good working telephone for what I 
might call “ fighting lines.” The Ader transmitter, designed for busi- 
ness offices, is not suitable for this purpose. 
TARGETS. 
My next point is targets: we have now reduced to an almost 
machine-like nicety, practice with plugged shell at a single slow moving 
target. Ihad the pleasure of showing at the Royal United Service 
Institution, early in the year, the excellent effects of a season’s practice 
in the Southern District on a record target, very small in comparison 
with a service objective. The Commandant of the School of Instruction 
at Plymouth has also shewn me, what I would call a magnificent record 
of results, obtained this year at Picklecombe, which would not be 
regarded as a very easy work to fight. ‘There is no doubt we can hit, 
and hit often, a single slow moving target, but after all, what is that? 
We have Jearnt our sword-drill, we must endeavour to acquire swords- 
manship. ‘To do this, we want better targets and more practice. An 
endeavour no doubt will be made to obtain the first ; the second can be 
met by instructional batteries, from which the comparatively cheap 
64-pr. ammunition can be fired.! 
THREE Otuer Pornrs. 
Three other points remain, but I will only indicate them, as I am 
without any practical experience of any of them. ‘The first is shrapnel 
shell fire, with time fuzes. I am a believer in the heavy shrapnel, even 
at night, and I should be glad to see something done, to provide a 
better time fuze, and to further test this projectile. ‘The second is 
high-angle fire; this is in its infancy, and we all look forward to 
extended trials; the third, and perhaps the most important, is the 
ranging and control of quick-firing guns. 
TRAINING. 
Lastly, I would say a word as to training. I think each officer, each 
link in the chain of command, should have definite opportunities for 
training his own particular unit. Gun Group Commanders should take 
their detachments in hand, as a subaltern of a field or horse battery 
1T do not wish to be understood, as undervaluing the good effects of actually working and 
firing the guns of the service armament: this should, ot course, never be discontinued: but 
in addition, thereto, an allowance of 64-pr. ammunition, for instructional batteries, would be of 
the greatest assistance, to efficient training. 
