Page:The organisation of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers explained.djvu/15

Rh It has already been explained that these qualifications may easily be acquired in a fortnight of continuous attendance at drill, by the application of a very ordinary amount of intelligence and attention. The regulations expressly avoid the imposition of any compulsory service afloat in time of peace. Target practice afloat is obviously essential to the efficiency of a naval gunner; and it is therefore desirable that every volunteer should have a fair number of opportunities of taking part in this useful exercise. In a long summer's day, the members of the London Brigade may embark in a gunboat at Erith or Gravesend, proceed to the Maplin Sands, off Shoeburyness—which is the most convenient place for firing practice over a sea range—and return to London by a convenient hour in the afternoon or evening. It will doubtless be the desire of every naval volunteer to avail himself of a sufficient number of opportunities for target practice, to secure his own efficiency. But, as there are many who will be anxious to have a greater amount of exercise afloat, every volunteer, who wishes it, may embark once a year, and remain for a period of eight days in a gunboat, manned by a crew to be furnished from the battery to which he himself belongs. It should, however, be observed that, when called out for actual service, the volunteers will not be liable to embark in sea-going vessels. Whenever so assembled, they will serve on board any of H.M. ships employed in the defence of the coasts of the United Kingdom; unless, indeed, they volunteer for, and are found