in the military art, denotes the discharge of the fire-arms; and its object is to do the utmost execution to the enemy.

The method of firing by platoons is said to have been invented by Gustavus Adolphus, and first used about the year 1618; the reason commonly given for this method is, that a constant fire may be always kept up. There are three different ways of platoon firing; viz. standing, advancing, and retreating. But previous to every kind of firing, each regiment or battalion must be told off in grand divisions, subdivisions, and platoons, exclusively of the grenadiers, which form two subdivisions or four platoons of themselves. In firing standing, either by divisions or platoons, the first fire is from the division or platoon on the right; the second fire from the left; the third from the right again; and so on alternately, till the firing comes to the centre platoon, which is generally called the colour platoon, and does not fire, remaining as a reserve for the colours. Firing advancing is performed in the same manner, with this addition, that before either division or platoon fires, it advances three paces forward. Firing retreating varies from either of the former methods; for before either division or platoon fires, if they are marching from the enemy, it must go to the right about, and after firing, to the left about again, and continue the retreat as slow and orderly as possible.

In hedge firing the men are drawn up two deep, and in that order both ranks are to fire standing. Oblique firing is either to the right and left, or from the right and left to the centre, according to the situation of the object. The Prussians have a particular contrivance for this purpose; if they are to level to the right, the rear ranks of every platoon make two quick but small paces to the left, and the body of each soldier turns one-eighth of a circle, and vice versa. Parapet firing depends on the nature of the parapet over which the men are to fire, and also upon that of the attack made to possess it. This method of firing is sometimes performed by single ranks stepping on the banquette and firing; each man instantly raising his arms to the centre rank of the same file, and taking his back in the room of it; and the centre rank giving it to the rear to load, and forwarding the arms of the rear to the front rank; by which means the front rank men can fire six or seven rounds in a minute with ease. Parapet firing may also be executed two deep, when the banquette is three feet broad, or in field works where no banquettes are made. Square firing is performed by a regiment or body of men drawn up in a hollow square, in which case each front is generally divided into four divisions or firings, and the flanks of the square, being the weakest part, are covered by four platoons of grenadiers. The first fire is from the right division of each face; the second from the left division of each face, &c., and the grenadiers make the last fire. Street firing is practised in two ways; either by making the division or platoon that has fired to wheel by half-rank to the right and left outwards from the centre, and to march in that order by half divisions down the flanks on each side of the column, and to draw up in the rear, and go on with their priming and loading; or, to make the division or platoon, after firing, to face to the right and left outwards from the centre, and one half rank to follow the other; and in that order to march in one centre file down on each side of the column into the rear, and there draw up as before.

FIRING Iron, in Farriery, an instrument not unlike the blade of a knife; which being made red hot is applied to a horse's hams, or other places standing in need of it, as in supernatural swellings, farcy, knots, &c., in order to disperse them.