ARTILLERY, SCHOOLS OF. The first school for A. instruction was established by the Venetians in the beginning of the 16th century. Soon afterwards, Charles V. established similar schools at Burgos and in Sicily. The French founded a school of practical A. in 1675; and in 1679, they added to it a theoretical school at Douai. At present, France has no fewer than seven such establishments. Saxony had an A. school in 1766; but the other German states were more tardy in this work. In Prussia, the artillery and engineer schools are combined; but in most of the European states, a separation between these two arms of the science is made. In most schools of A., the officers' studies com prise mathematics, as much of physics and chemistry as is necessary to the duties of the artillerist, field and permanent fortification, garrison warfare, field-tactics, military his tory and topography, military surveying and sketching, drawing from the model, etc. The practical exercises include the serving and firing of guns and mortars, the laying out and constructing of lield-batteries, and the operations of the laboratory and A. workshop.
The head-quarters for A. instruction in England are at Woolwich. A royal military academy was established there in 1741, to impart professional instruction to the artiller ists and engineers belonging to the royal army. The East India Company sent their A. cadets to this academy from the year 1798 to 1810; but afterwards, until 1861, they maintained a separate establishment at Addiscombe (which, however, was not wholly for artillery). At the present day, the students in the academy are recruited by fair open
competition. They enter between the ages of seventeen and twenty; and they remain two years, or such longer time as may fit them to pass an examination for the royal A. or engineers. The sons of military officers are admitted on lower terms than those of other persons. The financial control Is under the secretary of state for war; but the commander-in-chief regulates the discipline and internal arrangements. There are 22 professors and instructors of various kinds. Besides this royal military academy, there is at Woolwich a department of A. studies, for the instruction of junior officers of A., and for facilitating their visits to the fortifications and public works of foreign coun tries. There is also a select committee, whose duties are not so much educational as experimental; it is a small establishment for examining and reporting on the numerous inventions relating to artillery, brought before the war office. The school of gunnery at Shoebury subordinate to the headquarters of the A. at Woolwich, is for experiments upon ordnance, gunpowder, and projectiles, and to exercise young A. officers in the practical and mechanical duties of their profession.