327 
THE TRAINING TOGETHER IN PEACE TIME THE GARRISON 
ARTILLERY FORCES OF THE EMPIRE, INCLUDING REGULAR, 
MILITIA, VOLUNTEER, & COLONIAL ARTILLERY. 
BY 
CAPTAIN HE. G. NICOLLS, R.A. 
“IN MEDIO TUTISSIMUS IBIS.” 
SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1895. 
In the last ten years great progress has been made throughout the mtroauetion, 
Army in the organization and training necessary for the proper conduct 
of war, and nowhere perhaps has this progress been more marked than 
in the Royal Regiment of Artillery. In both branches, definite methods, 
which though not altogether new had remained unrecognized, and un- 
tried for many years, have gradually been evolved, for fighting, and 
training for fighting the different units, until a working, and workable 
system has at length been elaborated. Most of us no doubt were in 
hopes that our present system of training was approaching finality, and 
possibly it is, but in the Garrison Artillery, at any rate, we have evi- 
dently not yet reached that end, or else we should not now be asked 
once more to consider this question. We have now however the great 
advantage of starting from a good forward position. The necessity for 
fire discipline, and a regular system of organization and training is no 
longer disputed. The question no longer is, “Is a system of training... 
necessary,’ but what system is most applicable to certain requirements? + ~ 
This is the question we have to answer, and to furnish a satisfactory 
reply we must carefully inquire into the conditions that give rise to 
these requirements, and the nature of the requirements themselves, be- 
fore we can say what system of training is best suited to meet them. 
As the particular subject of this Essay deals with the training of aE os 
Artillery Garrisons in Coast Fortresses, I propose to consider it under 
the following heads :— 
Chapter I. ‘The general forms that attacks on Coast Fortresses take. 
Chapter II. The particular forms of attack that our Coast For- 
tresses at home, and abroad will most probably be 
called upon to meet. 
Chapter III. The kind of defence necessary, and the general duties 
of the Artillery defenders in meeting these attacks. 
Chapter IV. The system of training that will best fit the defenders 
to carry out these duties. 
The remarks made hereafter apply only to the Artillery portion of 
@ VO, XXIt. AD5 
