Regimental 
Training. 
Training of 
Specialists. 
Militia Train- 
ing. 
380 COMMENDED Essay, 1895, 
number of Gun Captains, gun layers and handspike numbers for their 
own particular duties in the scheme of defence, always remembering 
that each man should himself know what those precise duties are, and 
where they are to be performed, in order that he may take some 
interest in them. 
Regimental training, in contrast to company training should comprise 
the advanced training and regular exercise of the specialists, and the 
working together at drill and at gun practice of the specialists and of 
the Service Companies. 
If this is done and with sufficient thoroughness, it will be found that 
in all cases where the Regulars are combined for exercise with other 
branches of the Garrison Artillery there will be little in reality for 
them to learn but they will, as it is only right they should, be agents 
of instruction to the non-professionals associated with them. 
As regards the training of the specialists, including that practice 
without which no adequate level of expertness can be kept up, it can- 
not be too often insisted upon that no amount of attention is too great 
to bestow it. It is the business of Colonels and Lieut.-Colonels to very 
jealously protect the specialists as a body from being called upon, on 
pretences of emergency, to perform fatigues and duties which are the 
proper function of the ordinary unskilled company men. A Commanding 
Officer who wishes to see good work done should be active in stimu- 
lating the zeal of the Officer Instructors responsible for technical 
training, and in trying to create emulation among the operators. 
Nothing will conduce better to this end than for the Commanding 
Officer to keep a list of every class of specialist showing the capabilities 
of each man in order of merit. 
It is suggested that specialists (position-finders and depression range- 
finders) should as far as possible be identified with particular posts and 
particular instruments. Under these conditions they will be more 
likely to take a pride in their work than they otherwise would, for 
there is a vast difference we must recollect between what any man is in 
general, and what he is in particular. To follow once morean analogy 
of civil life, it is one thing to be an engine-driver on the Midland Rail- 
way, and quite another to be the engine-driver of the Manchester 
Express. 
The separate training of Militia must follow the same lines as that of 
the Regular Artillery, but it is immensely simplified by the circum- 
tance that the Militia are not liable for foreign service, and are as a 
rule more distinctly localised ; also that they have no specialities to think 
of, and no skilled details to furnish (laying aside what officers may do) 
except Gun Captains and gun layers for particular guns in particular 
fortresses. It would seem therefore very possible to considerably reduce, 
and at the same time systematise the preparatory drills of this branch. 
The Militia soldier having learned a few parade movements and the art 
of marching past—a tribute to custom and regimental esprit de corps— 
need scarcely be troubled with any general artillery training, but simply 
set to work to learn his particular duty in the gun detachment to which 
he has been told off, and it would be a good plan, perhaps, if these 
