Dyer's hand-book does not meet the need of the field gunner in the premises; he is virtually without guide. The Drill Regulations for light artillery are silent on the subject of the efficient training of the gunners. Various injunctions and numerous general rules are laid down under the heading "Artillery in the Field", but they, however, are too sweeping in their nature and scope.

For our gunner a start must be made nearer the beginning; his feet must have stepped on the first round of the ladder before he essays to grasp the top one. For example, he is provided with a sight, but his drill book nowhere tells him how to use it; among his enumerated duties is "pointing," but he is not told how to lay his gun. I am not here laying stress on the desirability of a book for the sake of a book; certainly there is such a thing as too much book learning. I believe the best way to teach men is orally, and practically by object lessons. Rather am I seeking to point out the comparative want of attention given our gunner, and the need of at least some few simple, clear instructions pertaining to his all important duty—gun laying.

Again, in another direction, we find the light artillery gunner and his training overlooked. A sharpshooter's badge, a marksman's pin, a sea-coast artillery gunner's insignia,-these are small things in themselves, but they mean far more than is read on their faces.

They are distinguishing marks and stamp the wearers as having received training, aud as having been judged, upon examination, efficient in their several grades. Is the light artillery gunner so much less useful as a public servant, is his function of such diminished significance that it is unnecessary to arouse his ambition or to stimulate his pride? By virtue of regulations. from so high a source as the Headquarters of the Army, the heavy artilleryman is afforded annually an opportunity to exhibit his special fitness and proficiency as a gunner, and if deemed qualified is entitled to a decoration and the further distinction of having the fact noted on the muster rolls.

The skill of the infantryman and cavalryman is tested practically on the firing range.

Of the men of the line the light artillery gunner is the only one seemingly forgotten in the awards for excellence. In the interests of the service let us hope his day will come, and perhaps it will when the material status of his arm is more definitely settled. Field artillery has been for several years, and in some particulars is now, passing through a period or stage of transition.

Our present field gun is, it is believed, one of the best of its class, but it may soon give way to the quick firer. Recent unauthentic reports tells us that Germany will shortly equip her field artillery with the quick firing guns. Our shrapnel and time fuze must yet stand the practical test of service. Smokeless powder is knocking at the door for recognition and adoption. The field gun sight is surely susceptible of improvement. With these matters fixed satisfactorily, let the question of properly qualifying gunners be made a pronounced step on the road of progress, if its consideration must be delayed.

In the due recognition of the light artillery gunner let us not be misunderstood. It is not the medal or the badge that is so much desired, rather the salutary effect of this bestowal, in exciting increased interest, encouraging men to better equip themselves for their duties, developing the training and efficiency of the personnel;-in fine, qualifying gunners.

That there is wanting in our service specific instructions for the training of the gunners of the field artillery in their destinctive duties is patent. Even in the matter of the field artillery equipment no well defined rules are laid down as is the case with the infantry and cavalry. Regarding training, I am reliably informed that at our service school for light artillery no regularly prescribed course is followed, the details and methods being left to the several battery commanders. Satisfactory reasons for these wants may exist, but they are not readily discernible. I have seen the statement in a recognized military journal that all the principal nations of the world have an authorized system of artillery fire regulations, which cover the ground of the training of the personnel for field work. Individual battery instruction may work well under some circumstances, but uniformity and regularity, so much to be desired under modern tactical conditions, will not result therefrom. Sight must not be lost of that tactical principle governing field artillery which predicates its employment upon concentration, chiefly by battalions, at least not upon individual battery maneuver and action; the latter is the exception, and that exception is enunciated in paragraph 1002, Drill Regulations.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OFFICE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE

GUNNER.

A battery in action (and all training should be thus singlepurposed) is a machine; the battery commander, by his will,

Journal 20.

sets it in motion, stops it, makes it work slowly or rapidly." A whole is composed of its parts; its integrity varies as do the elements that go to make it up. All-round efficiency is assured only when each individual factor is in good running order, and when each part smoothly performs its share of the work. The more evenly each man executes his special function, the more perfectly does the machine operate. The true role of the gun is to "hit," but the means to this end is the proper laying of the piece. This must be done with accuracy, regularity and uniformity, and with light artillery celerity of action is of great moment. The battery commander is charged with the réglage or regulation of the fire, and, technically speaking, he may "control" it under certain conditions (vide Drill Regulations). He orders the kind of projectile to be used; he determines the proper elevation and fuze; he directs, but another executes. A railroad conductor directs and controls his train, orders starts and stops, but the hand that holds the throttle has a very large responsi bility in its running. Similarly, the gunner holds the key to a situation, and by its fit or misfit he opens the door to effective or ineffective fire.

The gunner behind the breech is the captain's executive; while he neither regulates nor controls the fire, he has a vital share in its delivery. A mistake in setting the sight, an error in correcting for reported observations, a misinterpretation of the target indicated; these result in so much loss. How essential then that the gunner be thoroughly trained! But the captain is virtually in the air without reliable observations of fire; he is dependent upon trained observers, unless he performs such duty himself. Indeed the observer is as important, if not more so, than the man who corrects the sight and cuts the fuze. It is evident that we are dealing with an office or individual of responsibility.

But to come more directly to the subject of the discussion: the training of the light artillery gunner. The first question which presents itself is, what should be his instruction; in what direction is his training to be applied? Will the scheme for the instruction and examination of the sea-coast gunner afford us any light? It may be of some profit to inquire. This scheme or schedule is published in General Orders, No. 41, Headquarters of the Army, 1896. It comprises ten sub-heads or "minimum qualifications," which for our special purpose may be classified into five general divisions, as follows:

Service. Subhead 3: Service of the various siege and seacoast pieces, etc.

IO:

Cordage, blocks and

Mechanical maneuvers.-Sub-head tackle, etc.

Range tables.-Sub-head 9: Use of Range Tables. Observation.-Sub-heads 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7: Use of angle measuring instruments; plotting board; judging distances to stationary and moving objects; judging speed of vessels and velocity of wind.

Gun laying.-Sub-head 8: Laying guns, including allowances for wind, drift, and speed of targets.

And, for gunnery specialists, there are added:

a.

Telegraphy and signalling.

b. The practical care and maintenance of simple batteries, Also, the use of Meteorological Instruments and Range Table work.

etc.

The work to be performed by light artillery differs so markedly in character from that of the sea-coast arm that it will, of course, be necessary to eliminate several features of this schedule, which are not applicable or desirable in the training of the individual before us. Let us in a few brief words apply the knife.

One general thought, however, before doing so. The light artillery gunner must, perforce, be practical; herein lies his skill.

His round of work may be a science, but he need not be scientific, nor does he need to solve ballistic problems, nor delve into the niceties of gunnery. His unaided eye is his observing instrument; his good judgment and skill, his plotting board and graphic table of fire. For observing and determining deviations and for calculating gun data, the stationary gunner can call to his assistance various devices, apparatus, and "ometers." The field gunner must and does arrive at results by a quick road and

a short cut.

Service of the piece. The gunner must, of course, know the service of his piece, but he acquires this familiarity in his capacity

as cannoneer.

Mechanical maneuvers.-Likewise, his mechanical maneuvers are performed by him in the same role, and his prolonge constitutes practically his "cordage, block and tackle."

Use of Range Tables.-I believe that for the light artillery gunner the range table is essentially the means to an end, but not that end itself. Absolute reliance cannot always be placed on it, however accurately calculated. We must not overlook the fact of certain variable factors which influence its use. The performance of the powder is ever varying, owing to climatic and atmospheric

conditions, to variations in its nature, age, and the amount of shaking up it gets in the limber. Moreover, the "jump" is much affected by the character of the ground. The initial velocity, practically speaking, is an "unknown quantity and a variable." "Lieutenant Whistler is the only range table writer who seems to have appreciated the importance of this point. He prescribes a method for obtaining the initial velocity for the day. No gunner of experience will willingly believe that initial velocity for the forenoon will be the same for the afternoon." All firing is, in a measure, guess work, and the best gunner is he who can, by the exercise of his judgment, and almost instinctively, make the closest approximation. The range table serves a most useful purpose, however. It is of course necessary in the preliminary training as a reference and a guide, and for the further object of familiarizing the gunner, as much as possible, with its essential figures. Study and practice with it ought to enable the officers, if not every one of the gunners, to remember the elevation and fuze data for the round numbers of the table, and to readily make necessary interpolations.

It is believed that there will be little use for other figures in action. I would have the gunner use the table with this idea in mind, rather than teach him, solely, that he is dependent upon it and that he must always consult it. Further, time is an important consideration with field artillery fire; whatever is sought to be accomplished must be done quickly. In the inability of the gunner to promptly and accurately make corrections rests his practical efficiency.

Observation. For very obvious reasons, the field gunner is denied the use of instruments for observing and determining deviations, and for working up gun data. But in lieu of these aids he depends upon instruments purely personal and controlled by his personal equation. Experience is his best assistant; by practice alone can he acquire it surely. In laying, the field gunner works with an absolute deviation; he is not disturbed by its components.

A shot is observed to fall so much to the right or left, say, due to the varying causes of drift, wind, etc., the gunner immediately, and without running to his range table, corrects by making. the necessary allowance on the deflection scale.

He knows what a division on this scale means for any range. It is from this basis-of observed deviations,-then, that our gunner must learn his art." "It is from that basis that the