The first cœtus receives four, the second three hours weekly; therefore, in thirty-five weeks, the first 140, the second 105 hours. The number of hours which are to be dedicated to each portion will be indicated by the teacher in his special plan of the lectures, as it in part depends upon his experiences. All the above-named subjects must, however, be gone through within the prescribed period.
Before every principal division of the lectures, a general statement of its purport and essential principles is given; then follows a short historical exposition which is to explain the connection, the employment, and the thence arising conditions of the subject under consideration in reference to the other parts of the art of war.
The precepts hence deducible on the form of the parts of a fortification, and on the subsisting relations of fighting, are to form the latest and principal portion of each lecture.
The lecture is to be given in detail in such a manner, that its precepts may be deduced from one another in a way suited to the powers of perception of the pupils, and their mental powers accustomed to the carrying out of principles, rather than to a blind adherence to absolute regulations. To avoid repetition, the details of those doctrines which belong to different places are to be given only once, namely, where they are first required; and afterwards reference only made to them.
The military element, as indispensable both for the Artillerist and Engineer alike, is to be kept continually in view.
As regards the principal divisions, oral repetitions may be made from time to time for greater clearness; and, since individual and continued attention and self-reflection alone render a well-grounded progress in the student possible, written themes, besides those prescribed, are particularly recommended. It will not be necessary to submit each individual essay to a separate correction, but the teacher may content himself each time with giving a general view of important defects in the treatment of the subject, and then reading aloud one or more of the essays that have best succeeded, and showing by their analysis how the subject could be best treated.
In both cœtus, the existing models and full sized drawings in the school, as also the models in the arsenal, and for the second cœtus more especially the models of fortresses in the model-house, are to be used.
The means employed to complete the instruction in both cœtus, are fortification drawing, practical exercise in field-works, and an inspection of the fortress of Spandau.
The lectures are given without any fixed hand-book, from manuscript drafts or notes.