Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-13
The Hythe (Englaud) Schsel Of Musketry
introduced In Rifle .shsetipg.

elSnt ana ordinary intelligence are taught In q
week to hit an enemy at half a mile.
The course of instruction is addressed to the
mind, TO the eye and to the limbs.
The mind is taught the reason for rules ana
their application 50 as to load, fire and clean
the rife with speed, precision and safety
The eye is taught to judge the distance of
an object, and to aim at 1T.
The limbs ate taught readily to assume a
position which shall be steady during the
firing, and the limbs and eye are tutorsd so to
act in union with the mind as that the finger
presses the trigger during short instant while
the body steadies the rife and the eye brings
three points into one line.
To shoot with the Enfield rife is different
from shooting with q musket, becsuse in the
latter, mental calculation as we'll as aim with
the eye is required at the moment of firing,
whereas, with the new arm, as much as posi-
bic of the mental process is accomplished by
him who judges the distance, by him who con-
structs the sights, and by him who, In adjust
Ing them before aiming allows for the present
circumstances as to powder and wind.
The position Of the soldier in firing is taught
with great care, and is intended to make rest
ofthe body. In the standing position, the left
foot points straigh to the front The whole
body is thus free to sway backward on the left
ankle join when the recoil takes place, and
thus the barrel recedes in circle Of the largest
radius. The right foot points TO the right at
right angles with the left. The long Enfield
rife appears to balance on the left hand at
just that distance from the butt where a man
five feet ten inches in hight and with average
breadth Of shoulders finds his left hand can
hold the rife so as to be most steady. Differ.
ent lengths of butts are being prepared now,
90 ss to remedy the present mistake Of endea-
yoring to get tall and short men to shoot qual-
ly well with the same stock. The right arm is
raised to make the shoulder a convenient bed
Tor the butt, while the right hand is placed so
as to keep its muscles free to put the fore-fn-
ger on the trigger, and TO obey the impulse
from the oraln oy which the trigger is slowly
but certainly squeezed ihto action.
In the kneeling position the body is sup
ported on three points almost equidistant, the
record is again made to thrust the body truly
to the rear, turning on the left angle, and thus
keeping the barrel nearly horizontal. The
right foot, which ought to wear a thick, stiff
beot, supports the body as a seat The left
hand balances the rifle, and hollow in the
bend Of the elbow comfortably fits the front of
the raised knee-joint. The right hand is free,
as before.
Tbese positions differ from the French in
come respects; the French soldier when kneel-
ing does not sit on his heel, and when standing
does not point the left foot directly forward,
while IN both positions his left arm is less ex-
tended.
The establishment at Hythe was founded in
1858. The school and barracks are situated on
rising ground about mile from the sea, and
overlooking grsvelly plain which was used,
even In Olden times, for training Ia the art of
war. Major Gen. Hay is at its head with a
large staff and something like 100 instructors
The accommodations are sufficient to enable so
Off ~"rs and 300 non-commissioned officers and
prlvates TO be Instructed at one tina. The total
expense is about $50, 900
There is long course OF ten weeks in which
officers can be thoroughly instructed so as to
teach whole bsttalions when they leave Young
Cfioers and recruits have to attend about ffty
lessons and drills and thirty preliminary firing
practices, while each drilled soldier has to at
tend about half as many before the regular an
nual course OF mUsketry. The advantages of
the course have been lately extended to the
volunteers, AMI seven regiments have ayailed
themselves Of 1t. The names now entered are
sufficient to fill up the classes for the next
three years.
The course Of instruction consists IN teaching
the limbs by position drill, +" which is carried
on in the barrsck yard; while the eve is tau0ht
by the aiming and judging g-distance-driIl, con-
Quoted on the sea-shore; and the mind is en-
ightened by explanatory lectures in suitable
rooms, fitted up with models and appropriate
pictures
For physical training the men are divided
into sections Of not more than ten each under
one instructor. for 1t is by individual practice
that individual excellence can be obtained
The explanations Of the construction of the
rife, and Of how 10 clean II, are impaired to
squads separately The importance of keeping
rife clean Is very great. The mean devia.
tiOn Of an Enfeld rifle is twenty-one shots at
7ee yards has been found TO be from six TO eight
feet when not cleaned, and only two feet when
cleaned.
In the lecture room which accommodates a
hundred auditors, tbs best information Is i'm
parted in the most lively, popular and impress
siVe style, on the construction Of the rifle, the
use, manufacture and preservation of its sew
ersl parts, the hequalities Of powder and making
Of cartridges, the circumstances affecting the
explosion Of the powder and the fight Of the
bullet, the proper way to conduct target prac-
tice, and the regulations for keeping shooting
registers.
The aiming drill, or eye drill, is conducted
by csusing the pupil to "lay' his ride on
sand bag in tripod, resting so as ts align the
two sights and the bull s-eye Of a distant tar
get. The instructor carefully observes the
performance, cOrrects mistakes, and invites
the observation and criticism Of the rest of the
squad, Of whom each in succession aims In the
same manner. Two things are notable in this
department first, that very few men aim cor
rectly at first; second, that nearly eyery man
with good sight can learn how to aim correctly.
On the other hand, the ability to Judge dis
tances correctly is possessed by many persons
to high degree, whereas to acquire il is only
possible for q limited number, and after much
practice. Men accustomed to country life
builders, surveyors, and these whose occupa-
tion sharpens this faculty, very readily give
excellent guesses at q mans distance, Judging
frou his appearance alone. But for most per.
sons q long series CT trials is required The
"judgiDg-distanced drill" Is one of the most in
teresting portions Of the course, which involves
mssy hours marching ig the breezy air Of the
sea, and over the pebbly plain, under the
wholesome excitement Of competition between
the sections, which are directed to march back
to the barracks in the order Of the merit of
their performance during each day. The eve
is practiced in Judging distance by placing
men at intervals of hfty yards and causing each
section to observe the appearance Of the face
and dress at known intervals, rs we'll as the
hue Of the background and the state Of the at
mOsphere. After this, men are placed at un-
known distances, and each pupil Is directed to
estimate the number Of yards. The correct
distance is then declared, and each man is
marked in proportion to the accuracy Of his
estimate. .-
In the position-drill the first practice Is a
purely gymnastie exercise for the body and
limbs, without aiming. In the second practice
the head has part; the eye take. aim and
the finger presses trigger. This should be