The 12-pounder is being issued as fast as possible to all R. H. A. batteries. The F. A. will be divided into Light and Heavy Field Artillery, the former of which will receive the 12-pounder B.-L. gun, and the latter a new pattern 20-pounder B.-L. gun, with 8 horses to a team. When this is done, the R. H. A. will probably receive a new 10-pounder B.-L. gun.
2 guns and wagons together are called a Section; 1 gun and wagon, a Sub-division.
A Garrison Battery is variously constituted, according to its locality. The men of the battery have to work guns of all sorts and sizes in the different forts where they are quartered, and, as a rule, have no guns of their own.
Of the 96 Garrison Batteries, 4 are Siege-train batteries, quartered in the United Kingdom, and armed with heavy guns for battering purposes, and 4 more are “Heavy” batteries, quartered in India, the guns of which are drawn by elephants and the wagons by bullocks.
The Garrison Artillery is grouped in 3 divisions: the Eastern (29 batteries), Southern (42), and Western (25). Although these divisions are by way of corresponding with the different points of the compass in Great Britain, the batteries composing them are scattered in every quarter of the globe, and the Militia Brigades attached are not necessarily Eastern, Southern, and Western ones.
The Mountain Artillery is armed with 2½-inch 7-pounder jointed guns, each gun and gun-carriage being carried in pieces on 5 mules. One battery is in England (Newport), one in South Africa, and the rest in India.
The Royal Malta Artillery is for the defence of that island, and is composed of Maltese officers and men.
Men of the Horse Artillery are dressed in dark-blue Hussar-like jackets, and busbies with a white plume and scarlet busby-bag; the remainder of the Artillery in dark-blue tunics with red facings, and black felt helmets with a brass ball instead of a spike. They are armed with Martini-Henry carbines, and either sword or sword-bayonet, according to their branch of the arm. The forage-cap is a small, round, brimless one, with a band of orange braid.
Engineers.
The corps of Royal Engineers is divided into a number of battalions, depôts, and other units, which are given below as far as possible. As will be seen, their duties, and especially those of the officers, are extremely various.