MUSKETRY, SCHOOLS OF. When the introduction of the Millie rifle in the French service, and the aubsequent arming of the British troops with the still more delicate Xnfield rifle in 1851, brought the accuracy of a soldier's fire to be an important colloid eration in estimating his value (which with the old musket was not the case, as it was proverlaal that the bullet never hit the point aimed at, however carefully), the English government at once saw the necessity of providing instruction in the manipulation of the rifle. Accordingly, instructors of musketry were attached to the troops, one to each regiment; and a school was established at Hythe in 1654, under the late gen. (then col.) Hay, where lessons on the theory of the arm, and practice in its. actual employment, were the sole occupation of the thiy. Officers and promising men were sent there as fast as the accommodation permitted; and after a course of a few weeks were able to return to their corps, and became instructors to their comrades, so that the shooting of the whole army soon rose in a surprising degree. 'Whereas, before time establishment
or this school, the English stood low in the scale of shooting, the competitions held dur ing recent years at 'Wimbledon have demonstrated that no nation can now excel them as marksmen. The formation of the volunteer corps, in 1859, led to a greatly increased demand for musketry instruction, which the government met by forming a second school of musketry at Fleetwood (now abandoned), where the troops and volunteers of Scotland, Ireland, and the northern English counties found the necessary teaching. The Hythe school is superintended by a commandant and inspector-general of musketry instruction, with subordinate instructors. The inspector-general is responsible also for the instruction throughout the regiments all over the world, and to him the musketry returns from each regiment are sent annually.