OUR ARTILLERY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 626, 1 October 1909, Page 5

OUR ARTILLERY.

/"" ' ."7; A' •- -'•"V'"-'' 1 - 3 i /i / INCREASE IN EFFICIENCY. | '•* INSTE"&CTOR'S REPORT. j i bJ-'the':chief s instruetor of: v 'NeV;Zea.lan(l":Artillery (Captain G.^.S.,Richard- ..] .'progress jind condition of -our .1 i§;- 'I' .^rtiilery^companies. discloses ' :-O om ' l " o^',^ero | 4:\.:p 444-'. fcs^i^^stiady^increase':in ; the - efficiency, of; -| . t%;*gnnMM.' :iU l ,the' end t of ..tho . training.: .i ■ : vVi- the'results. < Atho •< :- . .. • compaiiies- o't'. each branch of • tho . artillery j V service' were- pubiished in - THK-' :iv. : Y' r - ' together'.with tabulated statistics j •. .. ..the marks.-per'- cent, -and iiguroi'-of - merit. ; V.; :, : : 'awnrded', to" each company, and. a ; general re-'' - , '.. fiew. of the work ,had ,been ;done. • Since : : -V ;' the faots .. stated tben -'form -part .of Captaio ;; 'i'. - report;-: fprther;-reference ;in thatV.. ' ■■ : uimecessary. ': . Garrison Gunners. 1 . ' -. .! .. .'!The,.training, of . the • garrison artillery. :■ .:TOluiHMrs,"-.^states.' Captain-.'.Eichardson; 'has .iew'<arribd:;Out .qii.;yniilar : lines; to/tho ;■ pre-; , . vywious year.'and it is very' satisfactory, to report •' that in.nearly every company, there.has'.been' .'< an^iniprovcrnen't; onlast Yoar'sTecord, both' 1 At: ' . in. shooting;andVgeneral; are'., /olovenvcompanies /Of;'garrisonKV' J' • -.teers'-.' in "the .Dominion, ten. of i.which'. qualified. . Si : i:-' as..first',class:for: the-ciirrent year.: rThere has. :. ..'been, for tho. past fivo years, .a .gradual im- . ;■'> jv.f-YPrbyementi yMr I ;by. year,:'.until-;it..would 'now; i seem, .impossible; to.-. get.'.better - results'-vfrom,; 1 ;. . volunteers; than ' are rpcorded for -tho: season ' . 1903:9. .Such results could not possibly, have' !CY : Y: .' ; ''.: : ; besn .Obtained ;if had not giveh far 1 ' '-timo ;to 'training than is actually re- ■ , 't]uired:'by, regulations.: A spirit of enthusiasm' 'i fvV''; has been • stimiilated into the men by their !: :too'-:dull' or ;di£B-: : 3sCv4:;'•/■ -cult-if• it can in any way conduce to tho eSci- i |v'. .v- :;4«nOy^.bfi;their AcorpSiV jlt. is (not generally re- ■ cognised that the time,these rr:on .devote ,to' ; *. -. ' drill every year.v.is.:about,equivalent,' to. -one' | :v -month s training, .'as thß 'following- computa- ) tion will show 5— 1 ■A-• ■ 'drill/required by 'regiilatiohs,'--'i j : .; ■ .cqmpnting...the 'hours; laid'; : down';in. days,.!:.; v. : : ■ ! ; reckoning, five .as .equal ,to bno; ;', day—l 2 days. -V; '-P'" Amount.^of "training v actuaily,: carried out:,; • • . :"oy'most corps during the past year, com- •' . iputing five . nours' .drill .'as equal to ono - day—32 days. ' "■ Oroanlsation. t .;V4 ; v ;"Thei organisation of;.companies-requires re- . v consideration., - At '-.present each - company has : \A.A:;;ah'::establishment;of>ls7;iil!;ranks,--irrespective .' - of,;the'wbi-ks,it. hus'.to;man;bn;mobilisation.; A; ; .vt-'.-'v.' .more .satisfactory:: organisation could be arS , ranged ;by .allotting, certain; duties . each ; .4-,' 4;; .'■■ company . ■:4t'' ■' lishmenf: riti'nl6erY required to"' ; ' carry "out,'these'duties.-' There ;are. some 'com- ; f :v.,:' piiriies--which,"vif' theyVrecr'uitcd ;np to'tlie full : ' J> establishment,-: too.fuiahy : menl while-.'others,Rowing ;to 'the greater number .'of . i : 4 ' ;■ ; B.uhs vthey, .are',-' required . toy man 'On ;mobilisa ; : tion,>would .'not ;have- sufficient;; thns showing :■ -' that'.;the; .establishments - have.-been fixed w;ith- ; ;otit; dno: regard; to requirements. -Last• year, the' y total strength of tho ; companies, eiclnsivo pi: .; staff, ,u'as '1031; yoar. it is 9G6, or-a reduc- ". . tion 0f.:60 on last -men . ' . *ro needed, Excepting in.tho Otago district. Training. : ■ "-The garrisbn.'nrtillery'-voiunteers carry' OUt their V ;'"- ': :. for the Companies train' ' all tho year round at the works they, are de- ; 4 r :Ar,r,; :4 'on;;mobiliSatibh j' (2) the jnstrucJ tioniis carfiedVoutiby'a.large and competent. i'v. . :.,Btaff-.br :N.Z.'- : ArtiUery;'.-(3) ' the 1 facilities : v.--r-;for training -and,': instructional appliances - in r eaoh distnet are. cbnld'bo desired.'. :' .. '"4'4 VJAvT here-Are,;;howbVe^;defects.'in'tho',present - ;i system-; "of;training The difficulties' experiehced; ■ in' Iteeping .^companies-i up^-to'-.the . . .required .strength: (2) Ih.dJarso' percentage-of . recruits that go into'camp each' year iii'nearly :■■■■■ ::'■■■ all; the ; companies(3)..-'difficulty,.; in- '.training . ■i:;- ,v; 1 V-; ' officers; (i). too;few v pra'ctices'.dnring' the.ye'af; ni-e -rery efEtientVat .thiel ter-' '.'-minatibn.of:a;-;training-camp, biit-owing.to the - ; ' abavo-mentioned .caiiscs theydo.not l maintain their eificiency'throughout tho year. On'ana- : 1 >';teiiw^!«o>bpjA;4t--.^iU;l»-fonnd thai. (1) and . • . (2) will, always.be. the'cause under; the present i: , ;' 'i 6 ysf® m ; o f.-^, r Wco;-;: : 'reqiiired !which v'.Vi,. '■..■will.ensuretmefl.'rOmaining.in'-the'"serrice^for j ; «'-least-three-years-lheir efficiency could then. r - po Buaranteed.;, ; (3) could bo'oVercome by. hold- ;. : 4; in?' special '"gunilary Classes in each district ' for j . officers, afid .noncommissioned officers. ' This i ' ; :'s now ■dpne'.'iii4somerdistricts/.but , . : .the-system [S,: ..; : v f,o.y?J,nstructing , officers and- : i"'i-'-tS.: .;.. -pffiCera. requires reWsioni !and'.-this. I;am .arrang- ; '' With regai'd to (4),' I stronj?ly . recom-j :S c ?^;^J ,a^ysUm.: fr . introducedi' iiist«adf,of! the present sys--V/. : • ' t€in. j :At 'present'' all - the'fshootiiig for the/year ;-V ' '.Vi\'iM:!carried>'^oUfc>in. o,- few s '' days • 'daring the ah-;h>n«al;traimn'g-camp:/pf:fcprpi:4,v.\4 jcarrie'd vOnt. dur-' ■= •, nig the, Easter. manoomtes ' at Auckland," WelvV:;: satisfactoiy :.' 'rGSTiIM iound - that' nights firing ;4V';V^:y : a:..^ : in any .'of. tho' /;::v;'^d§fended; porte 'and • it. is pro- ■ ;',/ p. os ed it a special featiire.in the-train-v/ the Garrison Artillery in th'e fnttjre ) and ; 'j.., -' < i -.'W - carry, - 6nt ■a •cortain , "amount ;of .class-firing 4 ; .:".; '■<% practice.;as • night "firing.'. r Employers and Training Camps. : ''o^D'-'sngntlT;-potter, than-, during' .the previous. -• v still-.considerable ( room ;for AucUand dis•V. trict. .>'-At ;f .present ••will', not .4. employees, . i ;j Others,are: considerate.' During; last! ;V.. | r . the\-f6llowihg' notice' l; was. ' posted; up in , lof vX^eyland: 1 and*.o'Brien,- timber "inor'i ; l4y~^h^ts ( 'AncklandV "Work' Wiir hQ 'resunied?on hatnrday, morning,volnnteerer''excepted/'.-'On Quite,' as.iiumlDer,' of - men who 4 ;r- < Cftm PV toi-be-rbrought to ; to^m '"fy:- : J 7 °rk;:,thefeby ; , interfering-with /the 'KqiniDgr. . Most; of.; tho and 'Telegraph 'De-' 4 4.-'rP^^ e iit--ofiicifJs'"wh6>ai , e'artiile^ r ydlunteorß - • a ? e bad 'attendets.'> It is -'difficult^to,: con« -, ;'; offcers,.' that rit ; : is. efficioncy only that - counts, ' not-;!arge 'numbers/ -and;- that; it „of,-Do jise;k^eping. men ;in:'a "company. I .who • \ :v / - tlie; traiiii - • Field Artillery. i t ' is 'now 7 y of 47 on "last year/ :Thc . .. s tabhshment-has>recjßntly.;beenr increased,' ; but of.' has been abl6 to Te--4; ■ r "P'i' I ?,' requiired strength. ' Three 'of; • pvo.ibatteries.-^haye F .their'last ' " ' ?^ ar '® r pcor4i /.whi_le v .- hvo rvorfl as/regards -efficiency. 4. : ; ': : ' ,:most" of'/thp'- batteries 'shows - . v -®. ; coflsidef4ble; impr6vomeritToilApreViouS years, in saying that:their : '//, looting -, efficiency- is 'considerably better than . beenV v All the batteries 93"? - s /Under, the/conditions; practice V' '•/. ;c.-/;.'' "positions ''V:.-.- -t 1 - dummies/';-What is •/'/• ;../) : :^f. to introduce.tho more difficult ■ '■■■■>. ;• ;.-l- pf /rrequiired on .service-^viz., ; mOfviDg, eting, iand; concealed : targets ' from i--' : :: ' ; Sf ® : u 1 ir®, cea 'ed, positions..;" This year three > ' V: ■''''■'-■■?!' 1?: ba ™" e s; carried out.-practieo from conTwo Conspicuous Defects. .ho-.rever, two. conspicuous- defects viz., (1) tho training of . officers; (2) .'the ' . supply-of good horses—which must be reme®l?p np'ol'o any,.field- battery-cart: bo considered ;4;44; 4- 4;-:- of getting tho most but of tho arma;K'.;: ' Ki'f m J n ' l^:IS efiUipped with. ;The seld artillery I oliicers are, as a. whole, very- keen, and. . • ■ . know their battery .work . well,, .biit they do ',444 V.;' ;■: J?'s ■ sufficient' opportunities! to go out into': ; -v'; .. the field with 'other nhns for/combined strain-' -; - - mg. A field .'artillery , officer must havo- a - ' .. Mund .knowledge ;of taotics;. in order to success- : iirA'A 5-V '"''X' carry .out the rolo - required;, of.' field ' '. ..- artillery. battery; .commander',.requires to K',i ,4', be a. : specially man, or proper ; train- :■; . ' :mg cannot ;be out.- : Our., present sys- . torn-praades for'-the officer bat- '■ - tery elected by Uie-.'men. -To. emphasise ; .. ■ . the imflortanco' of highly '-Mned officers, I . . <B°'« ifno-Temarks of Captain Vincent, ROyal .. -l iold ■ Artillery' The:. tactical' cruploymorit :jr : :: .-/nnd.shooting of .-has. such, a far-reach-. :.:;ihg;effect ! on:'tho. operations 'of n, division of : Y:'; in. army, or oven on ...the fate.of a nation, that ;.:'ohly,; thoroughly trained officers should • bo . put in; charge of the complicated ;and ex.?4;4: 1 'peiisiyo equipment of .which it consists,' and. jvV.f .- . ... of :there', isi necessarily ; only:.a : limited *' : v ; . supply;-:; Partiall y-trained -batteries; like .parr tially.-.'trainedvbattlesbips, .'are, only .a danger :.. to. their .own. side.' ....- Tho "Horse" Problem. • 4" : /."The., personnel .of tho field-batteries is ex-" : .. . . celient, nut it • can: never slio'w" to: advantage . .when:; the,; horses - are: untrained and. unsuited ;. ;.4 ;: '- ;,i for-tho work; and until the:question: of horsv4-.;' ,4 : . ing . the'Ybattei-ies. is,,-satisfactorily-., settled: a--1 high standard of efficiency is impossible. :. At; the present tima the cost of ■ horso-hiro per' •i; .;' battery' is from .£350 ; to, £ioo.\.peT '■ annum, 'Y." ' ' which; in ten y&rs amoiintsito an .expenditure. ';4:: ' ,y..-. ; of about or about J20,000.f0r., the-"whole of ; the Dominion;, and-yet wo-hove no trained . 'horses;available • for: .mobilisation.• This ;I ; , ;■;; ;-,. consider ' ver'y unsatisfactory, and. ,-wonld, ' .- • sjjrongly ' reoommond; that'the' gufestion 'of

ho&hire ■bo put on. a more efficient '%Ed economical basis! '.This* can'' be' dono if. .the following scheme is adopted',, jiz:—(l) Purchase suitable hones, - and' lepse them out to contractors, carriers, and firms, who :, would use ' then), - tho - lessees to feed and maintain them;' on; condition 1 that they would be 'available: whenever'required for. military purposes'. Cost-:per battery for purchasing seventy horses(approximate), JEI9OO.- (2) . Arrange- for these .horses--to be insured against accident,- and to be. inspected from- time to; time by Government oflibials., (3) Alt the-end of ten years the horses to become the 'property: of the. person to whom the' horses were leased." Total cost for: ten ..years,- W6IQOO. Cost -of • present scheme •for- ten'years; X 4000.. The above, represents a-saving of .£2IOO ;p'er. battery, in ten years, or a'total of JE10.500 for the whole of tho field artillery m -the Dominion for the same period; iut the most important advahtago will be the return in efficiency.; through having; trained -horses'always available." • ' • . '*.