estimate ranges up to 1000 m. and officers up to 1500 m. Three weeks after the recruits join, those of the most skilled in estimating distances—about an eighth of the total number—are selected to undergo further instruction. For this purpose they are placed under the orders of an officer charged with this instruction, who trains them for at least three hours, every other day, in estimating distances on varied ground. The better half of these men, regardless of the company to which they may belong, receive further instruction. Exercises on wholly unknown terrain are to be had with these men and not only extended marches but even railway journeys not exceeding 30 km. are authorized for this purpose.
In Austria the men are required to estimate distances up to 800 paces (600 m.), i. e., up to the range within which they might frequently have to choose their target independently. Only officers, non-commissioned officers, and specially skilled men are required to estimate ranges up to 2000 paces (1500 m.). The mean error of twenty determinations at short, mid, and long ranges, of a "reliable range finder," is not to exceed 12 per cent. The Roksandic range finding apparatus is said to give errors not exceeding 2-3 per cent when skillfully used.
To memorize distinguishing marks on the enemy as an
aid in arriving at a correct estimate of the range, is not considered
as simulating actual service conditions, since the power
of vision of the men differs. Furthermore, one sees the
enemy mostly in a prone position in action, and it is not to be
expected that the men will remember the various rules for
determining the range by the appearance of the enemy's
skirmishers. The same is true of the regulation which prescribes
that the soldier estimating the range is to judge the
effect which the target makes upon him. (England and
Austria).
It will rarely be practicable for infantry to scale the range directly from a map. Infantry ranges are usually so short, in comparison to the scale of most of the maps, especially those available in the field, that it is difficult to take them between the points of a pair of dividers. Moreover, in an infantry action conspicuous objects are not likely to be located often enough near the position of the skirmishers to make it practicable to find them quickly even on the most accurate maps. The artillery is much better off in this direction; its ranges are longer and therefore more easily scaled from a
