The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-02 00:00:00

MUSKETRY INSTRUCTION IN THE ARMY.

The Inspector-General of Musketry's (Major-
General I,
Charles Hay) annual report of the progress of
musketry instruction in the army at home and abroad for
1864-5, prepared for the information of his Royal High-
nese the Field Marshal Commanding in-Chiet, which re-
cords the extent to which the several eons and battalions
armed with the rifle have been exercised during the year,
has been published. Major-G=6nd Hay, in forwarding the
elaborate document to the Adjutant-Osumi to the Foreme,
in a short introductory letter, brings under the notice of
his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge the following
particulars :
Seven thousand nine hundred men of the several regi-
manta of cavalry, armed with the rifle carbine, have been
exercised out'of a strength per annual returns rendered—
exclusive of recruits' and not including the household
cavalry—of 10,160. The " figure of merit" of the shoot-
ing of the cavalry to 300 yards is nearly 26 points, and the
percentage of men in the Ist and 3rd classes in judging
distances is 42 of the former and eight of the latter.
96,001 men of the infantry, including the Royal Engineers,
have been exercised out of a strength per annual returns
rendered, exclusive of recruits, of 111,882. Of the number
instructed nearly one-fourth passed into the first class in
shooting under the higher test, and one-eight actually fired
in the let class, and 79 per cent, passed into the let class
in judging diatince, leaving only two per cents in the 3rd
class. The con-exercise men, after deducting all cases
that are satisfactorily accounted for, are numerous, being
egual,to nearly 12 per cent. of the strength of the infantry.
The runt.% of the rapid file-firing are bad, and thou of the
skirmishing practice are only moderate. The " figure of
merit" of the infantry is enly 49.35 points.
Major-General Hay concludes by saying
In regard to these particulars I would remark, that if I
have not been able to report improvement in the shooting
' of the army generally, I feel perfectly satisfied that the
cause is solely attributable to the fact that the men are
not habituated to the p Jpar position in handling their rifles.
Having closely watched the men at practice, 1 am nut sur-
prised that the shooting is not better, but that it is so good.
The man who is not trained to the proper position in the
first instance as a recruit, and confirmed in and habituated
to it, during the ordinary weekly drills and parades (and a
very little time will suffice, it often repeated), cannot
possibly fire in the same position twice running, particu-
larly when shooting on the knee, an essential position for
effective volley firing, and for long range shooting.
The best shooting company in the army during the yes
is the lets flank company of the 2nd battalion of Scots
Fusilier Guarde, its "figure of merit " being 147.78. The
best shots in the army in the yearly course of practice for
1864-5 are Private Amos Wolfere, 4th Battalion Rifle
Brigade, who scored 106 points with the Whitworth rifle
in the lst and 2nd classes ; and Cciour-Sergeast John
!('Dowell, 2nd Battalion 16th Foot, who sowed 90 points
with the Enfield rifle in the let and 2nd classes. The beet
judge of distance is Private E. Ellie, depot, 53rd Foot,
who obtained 26 points in the let clam. In the 32nd Com-
pany Royal Engineers, Ist Battalion Ist Foot, 56th Foot,
and 4th Battalion 60th Rifles, there are men who have
obtained a higher score than Private Ellis ; but as such
men did so by being exercised within the distances pre-
scribed for the third clue, when executing the third period,
oftener than the regulations authorised (for by no other
WORDS could they obtain the scores recorded spinet their
names in the annual returns), the position of best judge of
distance is assigned to Private Ellis.
The rifles with which the annual course of practice was
executed by the different branches of the service are as fol-
lows, vix. :
The Cavalry—Westley Richards, Sharp's and Terry's
breech-loading rifle carbines, and the East India pattern
Enfield and interchangeable rouszle-lceding rifle carbines.
The Royal Engineers—Lancaster's elliptical bore rifle.
Rifle Battalions—Whitworth, short Enfield pattern 1856,
and naval pattern 1858, rifles.
Battalions of Guards and Liae—LoogMnfield rifle pattern
1853.

THE COMION LAW Comm.—Yesterday the
sittings papers of the Common Ism Courts were ismusd. Is
the Quota's Beech the first sitting in term is for the 15th
instant in fdiddlesex,.. end otter tam Ist Feb. la the
Common Pleas, the Bret sitting in Middlesex is the 12th
instant, sad after term let Feb. The sittings in the Ex-
chequer, are the slime u in the QEStlie Beads