The practical artillery exercises are intended, in the first place, to furnish the students with a sight of that portion of the material of the artillery which they have had no previous opportunity of knowing, and of which the knowledge is indispensable for a complete understanding of the theoretical lecture. The exercises should follow the lecture as immediately as possible, and occur therefore during the continuance of the theoretical course.
The students are besides to become acquainted with the methods of execution of the most important artillery duties, in an extent compatible with their position, and the time at their disposition. For this portion of the exercises, the months of July, August and September are to be preferred.
In the major part of these exercises, the engineer students take part so as to gain a knowledge of such parts of the artillery service as seem to be of the greatest importance to them.
The artillery exercises separate into numerous subdivisions, of which the following may be particularly remarked:—
I. EXERCISES OF THE FIRST COETUS.
A. Visits.
The visits happen, as already noted, at the period of the theoretical instruction. The students are to be divided into as many sections as is necessary, that each may gain the desired information. There belong to this part—
a. Visiting the foundry and the boring machine. All the students of the first coetus are to be taken by the artillery teacher of this coetus, on two afternoons, to the foundry, and to the new boring machine.
They will see the general construction of the foundry and the boring machine, and, in case such work is going on, the molding, boring, and turning, and receive the explanations necessary.