The status of the Artillery Inspector in 1888

On 23 December 1888 with an Order on the military administration the Artillery department attached to the Military Ministry was renamed again Inspection of artillery. On initiative of the Artillery Inspector of the time, major Petar Tantilov, the same introduced the first “Status of the Artillery Inspector” of the Bulgarian Army. The staff of the Artillery Inspector was then composed by the director of the affairs (управител на делата) with the rank of major, a sort of chief of staff, who directed the activity of the chancery; the director of the armaments (завеждащ вьорьжението) – a staff officer, and an adjutant – a lieutenant.

At that time the director of the affairs was maj. Iliya Katzarov, replaced in 1889 by maj. Dimitar Boyarov, the director of the armaments maj. Georgi Popov.

The document listed accurately the duties of the Artillery Inspector, as follows :

1. he managed all the line units of the artillery as for the inspection, the line service and the instruction, the artillery regiments, the siege battery, the reserve batteries attached to the artillery depots and the artillery detachment of the Fleet;

2. he directed the trial of guns, limbers, ammunition (projectiles an powder) and materials, presiding the Artillery Committee, that was directly commissioned to made the tests;

3. he managed the artillery arsenal as for the inspection and technical matters;

4. he took care to supply the artillery with officers, non commissioned officers and horses;

5. he inquired about the inventions and innovations concerning the artillery and the firing discipline;

6. he diffused among the artillery officers theoretic and practical knowledge about the artillery science;

7. he watched the instruction and the training of the lower ranks in artillery, fixing the number and the kind of projectiles assigned for training, fighting and competitive fire;

8. he inspected in person at least two times a year the artillery regiments and the other artillery units;

9. he verified the correct maintenance and use of the armaments, the accoutrements and the materials, as well as the proper care and employment of the horses;

10. he took care of the line instruction of the reserve batteries attached to the artillery depots through the director of the armaments.