The Militia. 
Volunteers. 
Combined 
Training, 
348 SILVER MEDAL PRIZE Essay, 1895, 
panies R.A. on the basis of the battery command being the unit for 
training. On the views put forward in Chapter III. the Auxilary | 
Artillery will be restricted to the manning of the heavy guns in fixed 
emplacements, and to them therefore only does the system explained in 
the drill-book apply in its entirety. They must be prepared to work 
these guns when wanted, and will not be required to man any others. 
Hach company then need be trained only in the method of fighting those 
guns to which it is allotted, and the system of training will follow that 
already described for the special training of Garrison Companies. As 
the time, and opportunity of training these forces is considerably less 
than that available for the regular forces, this restriction of necessary 
duties is a distinct advantage, and the limits of the training required 
should admit of efficiency in the comparatively little that is asked for. 
In the Militia the Officers have as a rule to go through a regular 
course of instruction, and each unit is regularly called out annually for 
its month’s training, so that with systematic training, and proper 
insistance that Officers attain the-required standard, the Militia Artil- 
lery should with the assistance of their Adjutants, and Gunnery 
Instructors, be qualified to perform the duties that are demanded of 
them, especially if, as has been done lately, they are sent for their 
annual training to the Fortresses which in time of war they are called 
upon to man. 
But the Volunteers do not enjoy the same advantages. Though it 
may be possible in the limited time at disposal for instruction, to train 
the gun detachments to the useful handling of the guns to which they 
may be allotted, the present instruction of Volunteer Officers is not 
altogether satisfactory. ‘hey are as a rule eager and willing to learn, 
but the opportunities for satisfactory instruction are not as frequent as 
could be desired. On the distribution advocated in Chapter IIL, 
Volunteer Officers may be required to act as Fire Commanders, or in 
any of the grades subordinate to this appointment, they should there- 
fore be thoroughly trained in the duties of all commands from that of 
Fire Commander down to Gun Group Commander. As a rule many 
of these Officers cannot find time to attend regular courses of instruction, 
they are not below the average standard of intelligence, and would 
soon pick up their duties if opportunities were given for learning 
them. ‘To each Volunteer Brigade is allotted an Adjutant, who is an 
Officer Royal Artillery, and it should be part of his duties to hold, at 
least at Head Quarters of the Brigade, evening, or afternoon Classes 
as most convenient, for the instruction of Officers in the duties relating 
.to Coast Defence. He should, moreover, pay visits to outlying Com- 
panies from time to time with a view to giving similar instruction to 
the Officers of the Company, and where such outlying Companies are 
found, a Gunnery-Instructor, who should be a Volunteer Officer who 
has been through a special course, and obtained a Certificate, should be 
appointed to assist in the proper training of all ranks. 
The general sketch given above of the kind of training required for 
the separate units of an Artillery Garrison leads us to the question of 
how the combined training together of these units can best be carried 
