DEFINITIONS.

General Definitions.

Alignment.	Any straight line on which a body of troops is formed, or is to form.
Battalion.	The administrative unit of infantry, consisting generally of eight companies.
Brigade.	Four battalions (normally), with certain additional administrative units.
Column.	Bodies of troops on parallel and successive alignment, at a distance from one another equal to their own frontage.
Company Column.	A company in column of sections.
Quarter Column.	Companies on parallel and successive alignments, at a distance from one another of six paces.
Company.	The tactical unit of infantry. It is divided into two half-companies, each of which is again divided into two sections.
	A squad is the half of a section, formed under a selected leader, for purposes of discipline and manœuvre.
Covering.	The act of one or more men placing themselves correctly in rear of one another.
Defile.	A portion of the route which troops can only traverse on a narrow front; e.g., a mountain pass, a bridge, an embankment.
To Deploy.	To change formation from column or quarter column into line on the same alignment.
Depth.	The space occupied by a body of troops from front to rear.
Distance.	The space between men or bodies of troops, from front to rear.
Division.	Two brigades with certain divisional troops.
Direction, battalion (company, section or file) of.	The battalion, company, section, or file, responsible for keeping the direction of the line of march.
To Dress.	To take up the alignment correctly.
Drill.	The execution of movements in unison. Drill is of two kinds.
	Close order drill teaches the formations and movements suitable to the assembly, the march, to many phases of savage warfare, and to ceremonial parades. In close order the troops are formed and move in accordance with the instructions laid down in this manual; the words of command are prescribed, and the rank and file have only to obey orders.
	Skirmishing drill is the foundation of the formations and movements suitable to battle and reconnaissance. Very few rules can be prescribed, and all ranks must act to a large extent independently in carrying out orders.
Echelon.	A formation of successive and parallel units facing in the same direction; each on a flank and to the rear of the unit in front of it.
File.	A front rank man and his rear rank man.
Fire unit.	Any number of men firing by the executive command of one man.
Flank, directing.	That by which units march or dress.
Flank, inner.	That nearer to the point of formation or direction.
Flank, outer.	That opposite to the inner or directing flank.
Frontage.	The extent of ground covered laterally by troops.
Interval.	The lateral space between men, units, or corps, measured from flank to flank.
Interval, deploying.	The lateral space between units in quarter column or in column, on the same alignment, the space being equal to the frontage of a unit in line.
Line.	Troops formed on the same alignment.
Mass.	Battalions in quarter column, on parallel and successive alignments with any named distance between battalions.
Patrol.	A body of men sent out to reconnoitre or to guard against surprise.
Point of formation.	The point on which a formation is based.
Position, change of.	A movement by which a body of troops takes up a new alignment.
Rank.	A line of men, side by side.
Reconnaissance.	Searching for information of the enemy, or as to the nature of the ground.
Section.	The quarter of a company.
Section of Defence.	A portion of a defensive position which is allotted to a distinct body of troops.
Squad.	The half of a section, or a small number of men, formed for drill, or for work.
Super-numeraries.	The non-commissioned officers, &c., forming the third rank.
Wheeling.	A movement by which a body of troops brings forward a flank on a fixed or moving pivot.

INFANTRY TRAINING.