VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 44, 21 February 1900, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES

(By Rifleman.)

Interest in the forthcoming1 military display in the Domain next Saturday appears to be steadily growingl, and a huge attendance of the general public is confidently expected. The fact of thu demonstration being in aid of the Rough Riders Fund should alone be sufficient to draw a crowd, but apart from that, the sham fight will be well worth seeing". It will in fact be the best display of its kind seen in Auckland for years. The committee are sparing- no pains to make it a complete success, and it only remains for the public to assist by attending1 in force. The Rough Eiders will ttfke part in the demonstration, but what particiilar work will be assigned to them has not yet been determined.

The Eough Eiders in camp at Epsom have quite settled down to their work, and their officers and instructors are steadily "licking" them into shape. About fifty carbines have come to hand, and the shooting tests will be begun next week, or sooner if possible.

Lt.-Colonel Banks, officer com-, manding- the Auckland Volunteer District, has received notification that the Easter encampment will extend over seven days this year, instead of four days as in the past. The innovation is a good one, and it is to be hopetf employers -will recognise its importance and grant volunteers the necessary leave from Avork. Private J. Carlson accomplished a good performance on Saturday in the rifle, competition for the Government prize medals, scoring- 109 out of a possible 120 at 300 yards, 500 yards and 700 yards. Private Carlson is a member of the No. 1 Victoria Rifles, to which corps he has belonged for about two years. Prior to joining- the Victorias he was in the Te Aroha Rifles. Carlson stands a go6d chance of winning the gold medal for the North Island, for his score will take Some beating. The Premier's proposal to increase the strength of volunteer infantry companies" from 03 to 80 is viewed with disfavour in some quarters. As one CO. remarked, a company of sixty three is quite large enough to look after properly. : That old established corps, the No. 1 ~V[ctoria Rifles, continue to maintain "their reputation for good shooting. The first, second, third and fifthplaces in the prize medal competition for marksmen on Saturday were filled by "Victorians." It is estimated that a good soldier saves his country the .cost of four moderate ones, and a bad soldier is worth many times less than nothing. It may not be generaly known that the cost of sending a nurse from New Zealand to South Africa is estimated at £125, made up as folows:—Salary £50, passage money £30, outfit £20, and expenses on landing £25. A ■ trooper of mounted infantry, with horse, gear and equipment, is estimat!ed to cost £ 100.

Sergeant Kimmins, of the Permanent Force, has been transferred to Wellington, with promotion to the ranJc of Serg-ean!t;-M!a\ior. Sergeant Kimmins has done splendid work hei-e in instructing the battalion signallers, who will one and all be sorry to lose him.

In view of the Government'? resolve to increase the strength of the volunteer forces, there should be no fear of the services of the new corps formed at Huntly last week being declined. Seventy men have volunteered, and the enthusiasm displayed over its establishment augurs well for the success of the new company.

It has been estimated that fie average cost to Great Britain of the men now fighting in South Africa up to the moment they fall by the bullet or by disease cannot well be less than £360 each. This is exclusive of the special charges involved' in taking a man to the front, and feeding him from clay to day, which, with transport charges, will probably come to not less than 5/ per head per day. This means that the Britisli soldiers in Natal at the present time cost the country considerably over £10,000 per day. There was a good deal of dissatisfaction among the volunteers who had to shoot with carbines in the prize medal competition on Saturday. They considered that, the riflemen had an undue advantage, in thait the Martini-. Enfield is more accurate than the same make of carbine. And yet when

the two weapon*- were, tested by Major Sonimerville's men 'at Wang-anui last, year they decided almost-unanimously in favour of the smaller firearm.

The Transvaal Avar has undoubtedly given an impetus to volunteering throughout the British Empire, and we are pleased to find (says the Waikato "Argus'") that Cambridge is not going- to be left behind in the matter. On Saturday Captain Reid and the Inspector of Armoury were in the town, and we are informed about 15 young*, men joined the No. 3 troop of Mounted Bifles. This is a step in the right direction, and we trust more will follow the good example.' We believe it is the intention bi the Cambridge people to. have a troop of their own, independent of either Hamilton or Kihikihi, nnd this is the initiatory movement in that direction.

The following' remarks in the "Canterbury Times" about the Christehurch Battery of Artillery apply with equal force to our own "A" Battery: — Surely if the members of the "E" Battery are energetic, enough to attain their present efficiency with the antiquated weapons they use "they arc ontitled to better thing's. Ami it must be remembered that, henvever straight they TlT'iy Shoot, the range of their guns docs no exceed that of a modern rifle. Time, it is supposed that a new field battery has boon ordered, but, if so, it is longer in coming than pvoverbial Christmas. The "E" Batteryhas already counted many Christmastides in its patient waiting for those modern guns, which will be efficiently \ised if ever they do come .

The great Duke of Wellington was reported to have acknowledged himself defeated and compelled to capitulate on one occasion. It happened in this way:—During1 the Peninsular war the British forces were often short of ration's. Then they foraged, and the people for whom they shed their blood begrudged them the few pigs or fowls, etc., to keep body and souls together, and made bitter complaints to the duke. So the duke issued an order which announced that any man foimd guilty of plundering the peasantry should be shot. A few days after the order was issued the army made a forced march, and the supplies again failed. One evening the duke was re-turning-to camp alone from a- reconnoitre, -when he saw a soldier with half a dozen fowls slung over his shoulder and driving a young pig before him, a. straw rope being attached to the animal to prevent him bolting. The duke rode up. "You villain," said he, "I have caught you in the very act and I'll make an example of you. He looked round, but there was no one in sight. "Your name?" said the duke, producing- a. note-book. "Now, your regiment—Bßth? I thought so. Now, report yourself to your commanding officer as being under arrest, and to-morrow you shall be shot." "Won't your honour let me off this once?" said the man. "No, snid the duke, "I will not." "And I'll be shot to-morrow?" "Without doubt." "Then, by the hockey, I won't, for I'll shoot you now." So saying he brought his musket to his shoulder and aimed at the duke. "Put down yoxir musket," cried the duke. "Would you murder me?" "Unless you give me your word as an officer and a gentleman that yoii will say nothing of the matter before I count ten. I will by G—'■" The duke was in a fix. He promised, and the gallant 88th man went safe.