360 COMMENDED ESSAY, 1895. 
branches form part of the same “Fire Command” the week of the 
Volunteer training must be made to coincide with the last week of 
that of the Militia if the Fire Commander is to have an opportunity of 
working them together at the end of their training. 
During the first three weeks the Militia would be engaged in 
preliminary drills, which in the case of the Volunteers would have 
been going on during the whole year. It is necessary in the first 
place to see on how many days the Volunteers are actually available 
for work; how many of those days would be taken up by them in 
preparatory drills to bring them up to the point of manning a Battery 
efficiently ; and finally how much time is left to the Fire Commander 
in which to exercise his batteries together. 8 days must be deducted 
on account of Sunday and of the days of arrival and departure, for 
although some little work might be done on the 2 latter days, they 
cannot be reckoned on with certainty; so that there remain only 4 
days for work. As has been said, drills would have been carried on 
throughout the year, but only those Companies in the neighbourhood 
of the fortress would have been able to drill in their own Batteries. 2 
days would therefore seem to be the minimum for this preparatory 
drill in the case of a Volunteer Corps, which would leave the remaining 
2 days at the disposal of the Fire Commander. The time being so 
limited, it is important that none of it should be diverted from its 
intended purpose, that of instruction in Coast Defence work ; and on 
this ground it may be urged that any inspections should be confined to 
the Corps being seen at work during its course of instruction, any 
interruption to which is strongly to be deprecated. 
Regulars.—Asregards preparatory training on the part of the Regulars, 
who would of course take part in the combined operations at the end, 
it might be taken for granted that the Permanent Staff would be in 
constant practice and therefore always in a state of readiness. The 
same might perhaps be assumed in the case of the Companies of the 
Regular Artillery if it were not for the fact that there is always in 
their ranks in these days of short service a considerable number of 
recruits. On this account therefore it would be as well if the annual 
courses of these Companies were completed before the time for work- 
ing the 3 branches together. This of course is not always practicable, 
especially if the Auxiliaries come out early in the season. It might 
however possibly be arranged that even under these circumstances 
the recruits might have had sufficient drill to enable them to take 
their places in the gun detachments. As the Auxiliary Artillery 
naturally model themselves on the Regulars, no effort should be spared 
to bring the drill of the latter up to the highest pitch of precision and 
smartness. 
Militia.—During the 28 days that the Militia are out many other 
things besides Coast Defence have to be attended to. In the first 
place the Officer Commanding requires a day or two to enable him to 
get his Regiment into shape. The inspection by the Officer Command- 
ing Militia and Volunteer Artillery takes place during the training, if 
not other inspections also. ‘Time for preparation for these, including 
