TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7803, 5 March 1891, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Two Victorian military mea—Captain Officer, of the Field Artillery Brigade, ana . Captain Inglis—have jast returned from a visit to the cool weather camp in India, and have much to say regarding both the English. Army in India, and the nefarious designs of Bosaia. Captain. Officer, on being interviewed by a representative of the Argus, said: —

i " The Russian troops are reported everywhere as very strong all along the frontier. They b»ve won over nearly all the native tribes, have tremendous transport facilities, and are pushing down, their rail ways rapidly/ The general opinion in India is that with the first disturbance in Europe » Bussiaa advance- oa India is certain. There can b» no 'other reason, it is painted out, for Russia pushing her railway* into a positively sterile country. In the event of a war, England would require all her troops 10 India and the Eusaiane would be in Hefcafc before the English ooold take possession of Kandahar. Toe battle-ground would be somewhat north of Kandahar, a» far

aorthaathe British could raakeifefkT* policy being not to await for attack '<■»«? positions they, now occupy, bufc the Russians back on their own poaittS The question, Captain Officer w eW; declare, was of great iatereeb toAnetraik in the opinion of all Indian soldiers. W India in the possession of Russia it was<l tain that Australia would ,be an object! *" point, and mu3t ever afterwards a huge force for ifea own defence, q cannofc help the further reflection, that »•» India in the power of Russia, Greatßrifei most have been reduced to very eJ! etraite. If ever the Mother CosaS should ba brought so low, not only thl Australian colonies but probably also, would be in danger of inv&sioa i •would be a case of every member of tv. Empire having to put forth ite utajad powers of defence.

Whilb bringing a somewhat alarmist *». port concerning the activity of Russia ft & gratifying to find that tho Victarka officers were very much struck with tin efficiency of the English army, rpi went first to Mhow, liawal Pi&di jj! finally to the cool weather camp Khuirabad, across the ladua. 'fhey most hospitably received at Mhow, * epecial cavalry parade was in their honor, aai every opportunity W' afforded them of seeing all that was to h, seen. A most striking change has J* wrought in the white Indian army wijjy* the last four years, for whioh, (Wy. Officer says, General Sir Frederick ItS is chiefly responsible. There ate men and fewer boys in the Indian ttm than at Home; indeed, wa are told tS one wants to see British troops at tfcaj, finest ho inuafc ketp oub of Englaai Above all the Auatraiiaus were imprest with the native troops of tho northed , taojf especially the Goorkuas and Sikb. Tw never imagined that native tro ps ooalifcj so perfect in every reapect. The Ohoojfkw are eplendid infantry—all little feUom, but very determined and active. FigaUg* eeema part of their nature, aud, as CtoSaua Officer puts it, "it i'a equally diffiooUfo knock them up or kno>:k them dWs»,« Thoy luarou to the bagpipes, and ate pleased to consider themselves as befog aiinoac, if nob quite, Highlander*. TJfc Sikh Cavalry i 9 another magnificent hm, Tall, lithe follows, spleudid horaemea aad soldiers every inch, they are as trained as the white Indian troops, bat, unlike them, are generally mounted <m small Arab or native horses. Asked what were the most notable points ia the general manoeuvres, Captaia Offlay replied:—

" The thoroughness of everything. Ym few mistakes were made, and even tht slightest were carefully corrected. Meia and officers weat at it as if bearing all fcha responsibilities of actual service, and very often troops marched and fought; uufcil lata at night, and were at it again before day* break. The spectacle of 17.000 mea battle* firing at onoe was a flue stgUi. Ia battle* firing the • ghazt, , a wioker»work globe covered with paper, is largely used, ia the troops advance on a position, men coa« cealed in pits near the muuataia top throw out these large basket glob^, which ootae rolling down the mouueaiu side ia hundreds, giving ju.t such a target U an approaching eaemy in actioa, with ths same neoesaity for judging dtetaacd tad opportunities of notiag the result of ta? fire."

This is all very satisfactory. So also Iβ tin statement that the intelligence department of the Indian army ie aa porieo! as anything else connected with it. II Aβ believed that pretty nearly sU the passes by which troops could &dmcs from the north are now eoam&a&c!, though possible new routes ate beiag occasionally discovered. The visitors were struck with the formidable Mi£cations at Quetba, to whiob. &s' the railway has been carried. ThaKhybej Pass is guarded by a British regtoflt, and is only open three days a week, when pickets are posted for about; twenty miles along it, and people passing through ate escorted by Lanoers. Altogether, it weald seem that if the Busaiaus are on the aterb so too are the British. The former wflj not be allowed to poaaese themselves}/ India without a struggle.

Thbhb is often something in a name* B will have been noted from our telegrams that the Baptist congregation at Auckland have been unhappy under the mimetrations of Paetor Biroh. They have if ceived flagellations from the seretead gentleman, which most often have Isd them to reflect that he was appropriately named. At length, to the relief, *c imagine, of both parties, the pastoral tie ■was severed, and the congregation had to look about for » aew tual head. In a telegram w&feh was published yesterday, it was afested that they had resolved to ask the Bwaseffid Mr Concord, of Napier, to takeohaJge 0* the churoh daring the month d |Apnl' Could anything be more suggestive P Wβ trust that the reverend gentleman's 69®e will be found a watchword of good oEisa, and that ooneord will reign ia the fihnsfk not only daring the .month of April. b®P for many a long month tberesf tor.'"