COAST ARTILLERY IN ACTION. 169 
for the full charge, the range table for the reduced charge can easily and accurately 
be compiled. 
Thus for 5° 18’ elevation :— 
x 25°1=1090 short 
3000—1090=1910. 
For 7° 39’ elevation :— 
x 80°8=1838 short 
3000—13388=2662, &c., &e. 
Tabulate these results in column A and compare them with the official range 
table for M.V.=1028 fs. given in column B. 
Elevation. A B 
1° 287 665 570 
8° 14’ 1205 1205 
5° 18/ 1910 1925 
7? Bey 2662 2660 
With B.L. guns, in which the M.V. falls off sensibly as the bore wears, and with 
cordite the want of some such addition to the range table as here given will be felt. 
In speaking of sites chosen for permanent works by our forefathers, I am sure 
that Colonel Jocelyn did not intend to disparage their knowledge, or discourage 
the study of naval history in so far as it concerns us. History repeats itself and 
a tactical position in the days of the arquebus is not unlikely to remain the same 
in those times of Q.F. guns. It is not improbable that we shall return to the 
wisdom of the ancients and re-arm with modern appliances, forts built centuries 
ago and abandoned as useless for years. Whena mistake in coast fortification 
does occur, it is usually due to a lack of study of the chart, or a proper appreciation 
of naval matters. Fort Fisher in the American War is a notable instance of this 
shortcoming, but badly placed as it was, it proved a hard nut to crack. 
With regard to targets the first and most important consideration is speed. We 
all want a target that records, but if in endeavouring to obtain it we get a thing 
that will not tow at a fair rate we had better return to the Portsmouth, or other 
target that will not appreciably take the way off the towing launch. At musketry 
practice, conditions of range and size of target obtain now, that differ considerably 
from those in the days of the Brown Bess. On the same principle it is surely 
not right to provide the same sized target and conditions of range for the 9” 
R.M.L. and 6" B.L., irrespective of their relative accuracy. The difference be- 
tween these guns may not be exactly the same as between the old musket and the 
Lee-Metford rifle, yet I venture to maintain that at the usual ranges the 12 foot 
target is a great deal too low for the 9" R.M.L. and unnecessarily high for the 6” 
B.L. 
The shooting of the company in the Western District is referred to as extremely 
good and reflects the greatest credit on the gun-layers and all concerned. Perhaps 
its not least important point is, that if the cartridges used were the oldest on arm- 
ament charge, and not made up expressly for the day’s firing, this practice should 
go far to eradicate the want of faith in old armament ammunition. 
I think we all. wish with Colonel Jocelyn that something could be done to stop 
the emigration of subalterns from the Garrison Artillery, and are glad to hear from 
other distinguished officers that things are better now than they were. The young 
officer in the Coast Artillery sees with envy the submarine miners free to work at 
