Distribution 
of Garrisons. 
Defence 
Scheme. 
340 SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1895. 
fence will be required, but here again attention must be chiefly turned 
to the defence of the land fronts on which the main attack will be made, 
and for this purpose siege ordnance are required. If bombardment by 
specially prepared vessels is attempted, either by itself, or in conjunction 
with aregular attack, it can best be met by high angle fire guns adapted 
for long range shooting in any direction, and some of these should be 
supphed, at any rate to all our most important fortresses. 
Before proceeding to consider the question of how the Artillery 
Garrisons can best be trained to carry out the general duties here in- 
dicated, something must be said regarding the manner in which the 
distribution of the garrisons to these duties should be carried out. 
Some such distribution it will be admitted is necessary especially in 
our home fortresses where Militia and Volunteer Artillery are called 
upon to take their share of work with the Royal Artillery. It may be 
laid down as an axiom from which no general dissent will be made, 
that when a variety of work has to be done, as in the manning and de- 
fending of our Coast Fortresses, it will be more efficiently performed, 
if the same men are always told off, and kept to the same work, and 
that when the nature of the work varies, the most important should be 
allotted to the most efficient men. A Coast Fortress therefore should 
be divided into a number of commands, and a portion of the garrison 
of it should be permanently allotted to each command, and kept entirely 
to its own command. In the home fortresses where the garrisons are 
composed partly of companies R.A. and partly of Auxiliary Artillery, 
the companies should be allotted to the most important works as far as 
they will go, and the Auxiliary Artillery to the remainder. Abroad 
where Colonial troops are found, who have to work with the R.A., a 
similar distribution should be made. Where only Royal Artillery 
Garrisons are found, it is immaterial how the distribution is made, ag 
also in those fortresses manned entirely by the Colonial Artillery, but 
the distribution once made, should not be altered unless absolutely 
necessary. ‘This distribution should be embodied in the Defence 
Scheme of each Fortress, which as far as this question is concerned 
should be drawn up, on the following general lines. 
(1.) A distribution in time. It must be recognised that after the 
order for mobilisation has been given, some appreciable time must 
elapse, before the different units can assemble at their place of concen- 
tration, and that while they are assembling, the forces told off to each 
Fortress, and that are on the spot, willalone be available; these will con- 
sist of the R.A. Companies stationed in the Fortress, and probably a 
considerable number of the local Volunteers. As soon as the Militia 
are mobilised, and reach their place of concentration they will relieve 
the Volunteers. Thus two periods must be provided for, viz :— 
1st period, Royal Artillery and Volunteers available. 
2nd period, Royal Artillery and Militia allocated to the Fortress. 
(2.) These forces should be told off into Battery commands, a definite 
portion of the armament being allotted to each command. As many 
Battery commands as may be convenient will constitute a Fire command, 
