EASTER MANŒUVRES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 176, 20 April 1908, Page 9

EASTER MANŒUVRES

GUARDING THE GATE. GARRISON ARTILLERY AT WORK. ■ ATTACKED BY RAIDERS On . Friday night, a heavy north-westerly gale raged. down the valley, and whipped the spumo from tho whito horses, which raced I ;. >■' over the harbour. ■ It was 'a ; ; thick night—-just the sort of uight to cause a garrison gunner tO;quicken his souses, for the raiders lovo the '■ Tho forts weromanned as usual, and tho wandering ": beams from tho searchlights 'swept: back : and forth,' like bloodhounds .try- . ing- to pick up tho scoiit. v lt was intended ■ to resumo battlo practice at moving targets, but, unfortunately, owing to tho heavy sea, the tow-ropo -to which wero ■ attached the Hong-Kongs snapped with tho strain, and , the, targets',' drifted : Vaway/into"; tho darkness. >; .Stationai7/targct;{'practiceHwas' then ' caiTied out.' '' v;.-"-';-:'* .'v',"'.' ATTACKED! About 11 p.m.; tho weather/becauio very much worse, and.dieavy . squalls .thrashed . across .the hills, obscuring everything but tlio - nearer Jho' l'etone :Navals;-'wlio . wcro stationed at-Dorses Point,. were-orga-;.v.'Ai^;jn^B.-'par£yj;^raTd^ 1 Freeman and-Lieutenant Fncc. A cleverly ' conceived .'plan' rPar.pf';tho forts , : above.Mahanga Hay was - put : into operatioiii'vi'Tvrb i companies ,:;'of- infantry, ?conraisting\;pfr';thdVHutt,Valley tho Woodvillo .Rifles; were defending:.: the . I ',rear ,;? from thejfc4QWii-^ir^ls'ef.-andvtKiiQl<j^P : '( of tho' rdiderVwSs ; t(S carry, ... • tionj: from -'.Which': they;) coiild.; dominate .the: ■ .forts.: rQperatirins.tcororiienced.'.by.^ ■ fonders' .base, : and .simultaneously a .reconnaissance was made, along tlio line ot defence 'for), idea''i ; beiiig;. ;.tp.:- ? break ' •:; : .through; and 'got; ii'ito 'positi'oii ' at; once.;; -.This. r •' was' succcssfiiTly "earned: p ith§'-result- • ' that.;'thprforts jfen / into/'tie- hands':of ; ,tho. . //enemy. .^The,.' Pf';the; raid -demonstrated . ' very,clearly;M^{ic-:-inecessity'-Kfor./Hko;),pre-; ■ : • soncc ' ot an. • adequate force for : tho : defence;-' of 1; the'.'./fort4> .against' ■_an •-attack ; from. tho ;.' rear.:".' The •'-' units .• provide<l ;■') showed that ,tho : lled -Force: had!.,not )this Ilin'e '•of/'deteii^oi r - , ;' : retired about ' 3 a.m. ;■ on Saturday, i -wet i and. weary,' • but cheerful lyithal;' ,i" ' OTHER OPERATIONS. ' ;; /:' ,• 'durliig. tl^of or ejhoon.,«.Aft ©^dinner, • the • Fif 6 ■;!\Comniaiidor.;' ; rej!eiyeckHvord-.'fhat.the .enemy; had landed at .' Dorset Point. The 6m. and '..._ 12-jppuhdcr.;^giui.ii''dettfchriienfs ; ; werpvbrde'red : ; to; engagedTvTK^o'Petone''Nav.als r 'wero order.ed to ! use^shrapiielsv^aM'^tl^irvfirp Vvei^y:' rapidand::.effective.-.: ■. Practice was subsc- ; • v ■:>; After ;'.tli<i ! 'b6iiibl^monf , 'i^y;'; , S!M'.Si'' Pe£a-; s aus°^ddfui^^f^ei^e^y-lt7^'ahbll-:ajacl°.Bli'rapr; nel practice.', was carried, out. . A: bursting : - when;. c :illnm'inod.yii' the glare /.of i. i : 'iis f r soinbthLrfg r to : see?an^. 4J?frst'" cpmess.tho'flash' nndstlKv roaf of the 51111,-then the scream, of- . ' s ; tfe^shfcll;/as'jt • hurtles" through the 'air) 'and, lastlyV" few;j"seconds',• . of .;the; shell, by. this . time"; - .'A.-'orisht J;;flash-;is ;seeri;;,'then' ; ball ..of- smoke)' which quickly expands into a beautiful cloud, ■ .arid r vlas.tly)::tho;;distant/.'stillen'.boom ,ofvthe' : . • : explosion." 'bursting' shrapnel does not'. . -scatter'.its?, bullets in., overjr direction. It ■ rains them ; on thoso beneath "it; - / .arid i d ts ', •.?i';' v . ; '.;.Crflss-fiiTOg' : ' prifctico l>y'ttie''6iii.' ; 'b.-l.';guns atS3opO;syards,V;t^;roiind^'/ollowed); r evOTy Bhptibeißg;«>iegistoj'cd/hit,-irig.f!thi®tmvtfß;-a£^3i short, to* 60' i yards/rover-^lOp. yar'd^ , 1 ;;; • the ■ limit.'fi; This^is''the /first)■ occasionyiipon'i; which 'I classyfiring''practice; fiss taken;-at';' flight)-aiid ihf.'ac'ciiT'a'cy .and'-'rapidity■ of Tiro ;was : equal r of .■ said; fliat'-the.' results, proved that. Garrison Artillery -.Corps >would now-, ho 'ablo .to night,. under'' •- battlo .praefcico.conditions.- The"G-ponndei- and 12-ppunder'guris r peppered the.target togothef,, .. and some difficulty was'experienced in.'iob- .) Beryation. of'.fire, / showing. ( .£po :ndcessity for improvement, in. ''(]nfing' v cbniiii4-) v' ' ; Voii3".and\-sliriia]taiieoJi3';*-'firo:<-;vlt/-ia '.'cst-impted' ;. that a fair.percentage of.Tuts was secured. . .Another land had been planned-by. . tho , "Blues;"- '~Spies .wejo, howovor,' sent out, and .discovered) the raiders'' intention's . - and- 'wcro proceeding 1-1 com'■■■fbrtably.vby; tram';tb -Mifaiha'r.: :The raid: did'' ' '; not/..oyentuate', tile 'genoraFidea at' tho'lforts' ' )- : . being, that; tho -'! hostiles " did not relish the ' -tonsdniG'-vclimb : . hills,- .'arid j we'nt:. home again. '■ ' 1 "*■:'- L - ; - be''giveii;;t:o; ' . Mastor-Gunnoi\ Heath;': ,w»ho' is lii; chiirgo of " v^^'^^*lto>?o^-l ajMvma€OTialV"^^&cfcicallyfjiiKht•'arid ; " - day r Tor, his . enthiisiastic-energy, 'during ,the manoeuvres;-'-;;^'i.:;.:''.yi"■ _ Tho camp wasiivisitod by Colonel A. W. Robin, C.8., .Clyef of tho General Staff, and 1 Coloner'.GPlliiVs;< r pii' Saturday night;."and-both • woro prc§eiit : ,(lurin'|; the'horabardnient.'. , It costs £5,r.t0 fne a single round of practico.'ammMilip'nan .Sin)-.''b'.l.^guii; ',£2 ! for a 6m.-'gun; and £2 for shrapnel. H.M.S PEGASUS IN ACTION. FIERCE ARTILLERY DUEL. .aVarSeiip versus^forts Somev/liere;betv,-oen'4 aiid 5 o'clock on Sat-" orday:;evening,; HiAI.S. Pega.?us, wliicli had ' : '.:y unexpectally , arrived: -iii) tlie Jiarbour last ; ,\ Thursday attei'iiobii,/hovp up anchor, .st-ca'tned ' - put- disap- ; ; pMred i )r:;'yAbq\jViiv^." : htturs ; later\s6io:-retii^ , ncd; : ! ,- but that.five hobrs'hajd -been'a:stirring;time. : . - .. Just about this time), too, a certain:war cor-r^jjondent,mysteriousJy-.disappeared, , but . dpings;.w what ' ■:.follows, miy. npt;bo explained:': There!iivo rc- ■ • gulations in tho Navy, and-these may. not be : trifled.with. .. '. .• • • '. . : •. ABOARD THE RAIDER. There is Van air of- 'grim business abont a ■ Warship, which becomes' pronouncedwhen something serious is afoot,. and it was inipossiblo not to be; infecfed' v/it-h tho atmo- . sphereof;.the..situation:as :H.Jl.S.'Pegasus ■ j^ey^and;silai£;-.'drpijjfetl• down thd' liartour' ... cleared .the\Hc'<uls,-jaud' lifted to th<) siroll of tho great,Southern,Occnn. Penedrrow H«m1;- . B*id'.tho;;flth6fc,bold.-bluifs--which.^looked--'out y - across, th«);Straits',-; grew'J&rojr -.aha: flfetwit). V. and'finally' disappeared iii-. , .th8:-.tliicls i ! of tho , gathering ; niglit, .'as .itho: wa'rsliip ,'ppintcd' her grey nc'so..sputhwartl : into;th.e{liaze.': : c ;' ; / Oil MISCHIEF BENT.' Shb was on mjsciiiof lient, and that bccamp apparent dtinng the next - two bours, for a ' .. vidp. swoep to tho .castwifd -was takcii, the • ship- swung round) aiid headed back 'towards ' Poncarrow:; with lights out. As tho dark hazo away, oybr,tJie;'bow; took sliapo, --aud: resolved' -. itself ,irito, blulfs-; and headlands, ';with: lioio. ' v.: and, thoro. a.-'gleam, l of. breakers jwliero .tlio • ragged tPjp3 Of ;a;r6ef.thrust their tooth. ai>ovo' the water, 1 tho irarship slowed''down. to half-;, spwxl. :Diirk forms flitted silently about "tlie . ; deck,-and tbc\crei\' prepared for action. Tliero . was. not a, suund'j - savo for ; the swirl' of.'tho' water, tho dull throb, of the engines'; > and tho . low-, call'.'of. ; the : loacl3mah, "Ey tlio; mark— . cloven!" V DISCOVERED!" ' : - 'It was now aiiout 9 o'clock. Suddenly, . from' a vessel, -about half a mile away on : tlio sta.rboard bow,a rocket shot up into , the . sky. ; Ay few .niinutes .passed, then anothor: rocket went up. Tho 'warship was now' abreast of tho Heads. • Dorset Point loomed up on , the port; bow, and from the 'heights-soared / skyward a third''rocket. , It'was the alarm ! signal, from; thb outcr'Tprt., But tlio' warship . gavo. 110 sign. . .Silently, grimly, she held her co'.iKo'towa.rds whqro. tho great rays'.of. tho' searchlight -"swept ■ anxiously about. 1 Th<>n v tbroo rockets went up from the patrol-vessel, followed .immediately afterwards by a flash and a roar from 0110 of tho fort gnils. IN ACTION. And now tho tenso, norve-rackirig silenco on board>tho raider was broken. Bang! went

0110 of tlio big guns, as one of the searchlight beams swept over the cruiser, wavered, and then, having found its quarry, v concentrated its rays full upon her. Thon followed a ruse. Having drawn' tho firo of the forts upon hur, some combustible compound was ignited,' and in a few sccpnds the cruiser was envolopod in a hazo of smoke) which obscured her outlines,' and 1 drifted dowii' the harbour, affordiiig. l splendid cover for the torpedo' boats toslip pa-st aiid gain tho'innor harbour.. The action now becamo general. ; Tlie cruiser's '4rinch'aiid .3 pounder port guns engaged the forts, and a veritable inferno of ■ flc-shes' and reverberating detonations- prevailed. The scene was an awe-inspiring .one- 'Hie .-whole sky seemed to bo illuminated byvivid lightning, so incessant; were tho; (lashes' from, the. giliis. Ill' about a, quarter 'of an,hour the warship passed out of - tho; fire none, and dropped anchor'again in the inner harbour. .In actual -practice .she would have been .a ghastly wreck, sunk in mid-channel,; recalling .Kipling's lilies: —, , , ; " It was our warship .Oampcrdcwn. . .Heaved up her battered side 1 .. ! -.lAnd carried-a million pounds in, steel . . To tlio, cod.and the corpso-fed eonßer eeV ■ And the. scbur of ithe channel tide." ;.. FSOM THE PATROL BOAT. Captain Fraseiv E.N.R.,, commanding tho patrol boat Janio Seddon; was stationed early, in tlio evening.in ChaffoyVPassage, off Dor-,-set Point. .The searchlights : ai<' the; forts,had. been switched-on early, and a yigilaiit v.-atch, was,kept, an. attack by a hostile cruiser Jieing expected at/ any-' hour. .Shortly.', before 9. p.m.-a, darV mass loom'cd'.'up from the east-;ward,"and-.a.few. minutes later resolved itself, .into, the, outlihp: of. 'a ship... It,carriedno.' lights, and .was "coming: up towards., the, entrance at'.half-sneed. : -' To 'those 011 -hoard: the' patrol boat, the ori-coniing ' cruiser pre.sbuted - the ainicaranpe of a spectral ; snip) silent and ghostlike. As sbon -as'he .was'cpr-' 'tain .of;' thpo warship's' purpose, -tho .commando,r of ; tho" patrol; boat ' ordered:; a; 'guu-cottoii ■ signal'; rockct to be fired.' r This Xvpe'.-of rocket;.'.can. soar 300 foot-into'the air; it then explodes with a 'report like 'that' of a gun'. •Anpthor. was fired a.'little . later, and;'when :'the cruiser . gained; tho| -eiitraiico' ..three- rockets were*sent tin,-as'- a signal -that the enemy' had' entered tho'harbour. . mOM THE FORTS. ; i Frpni -the ■ fqrts l the spectacle was a ■ magnificent, one. Tho clull grey; colour ef •;tlie cruiser:-'made' it. -difficult"for,; the'.'searchlights to pick her up iintil; off' Steeple Rock, ; when : she •.showed; up beautifully in"the briW lianc'e of tho : groat rays: • -Sho 'seemccl" to lose.'::hM,i-gi'eyiiess,_ and stood .put' almost'' 'white .in the. vivid light, ghostlike, l and sharply) silhouettbd:; against; the;; outer.'; darkness. ThefPet'one- Navals' kept up a llot firo 1 -from' Dorset Point; firing iu about twelve minutes (tho duration; of :the - action) 7o rouiids of Wank cartridge.''!''. Tlio ' 6-pbuiider , and '; 12.'pptin'doiv- Q.F. guns ; at Fort-' Ballanco fired about 150 rounds each; tho 6-inch': B.L. guiis. 22rounds'' each,V and ■■ the big 8-iiicli guns : 8 rounds. •- - THE LESSON. _ .Captain' .'Richardson,. Director of Opera.tious,- liad something to say , about the value of tactical co-operation between -.the-naval ; and land forces ill peace manoeuvres,'; He ; thought. that commander of.H.M.S.' Pegasus,; \yas to .00 pongratulaied oil. his - felfbrts;-to\.'assist, in the- operations, and. the , garrisoii :worc: .debply'ffindebted to: hirti -for : the valuable, lessons which; the :hombardmeut. had provided., The Russo-, ..Japanese,' War,' ,aiid other' wars, ;liad shown'• the necessity-,for',such/co-oporation, The' liayal authorities .Wero; recognising the ' im'portanco;' 'o'f / this, and '.it -Was' to: be hoped that:lii; t!ip';:near.'Tuturo ; tho: navy"' would be associated .- with .the military-.',fo'rocs. in all ppaco manoeuvres.-./ The idea that each-w'as a separate arid .'distinct: unit was giving place to a-wider appreciation '-.of--.tlio 'proper co-brdiiia--tibn of tlio .. : '.Xj-iu WITH THE LAND FORCES) ' BLUES ATTACK THE. RED CENTRE. ' CAMPAIGNING IN TIIE RAIN La. Grand Armee, bejt 'Bluo or be it .Red) ?i'-6w..;knows-,.soinething' of ; tho '-rigours., of voluntoenng ..i l inder. l austpro ; -,skies.. .Scarcely., had tlio forces) got iinto; ; positionon. Friday. ovening "when- "an ' .extremely 'unpleasant chango in the-weather-sot in) .; At' : 10 o'clock that-night' rain jieemed ;in sheets, - a •violent ;'-.blow "-.set iii from several points of. the compass, first -from tlio north -and then from .'the '-'south'.' - To 'hayo. 'weathered ..tho ;6lempnts :iinder;:ca.nyas Avould have been.: bad enough',- Unit. tho ■ business of soldiering 'dqmandod) more than this,. and , the'.• advance' lines of y bbth .-camps: had to sit out tbo night, .as well as might ,be, uiidc'r' the naked'and in-, clement sky.- . Aii old . campaigner,-'.from' 'tho' East 'Coast.[described it; as the - most;' 'trying business '-which,! had como his'way. in 'twenty' ■years.'of '■volunteering; 6ut.. : on an; in;hospitablo '.country-sido. ;tp, faco. -, 'such- an ,enemy,. : tho Volunteers;simply, had sto >do)tho.' :hcst;.they ; could.. y Soino had ,Pil- sheets with them as it: happenpdi and; some were enterprising enough to commandeer empty houses,, but,.' for .the . majority,-'nothing better was) availablo than the ; .precarious)) shelter of.' everyone cambback to. camp' on morning '.'sopping', wbt, .■ and l^ At' .looked'; at. 0110 'if ;thp manoeuvres -would-Kayo" to- bo "brought-, to: a sudden'' end-.:- .Among".'th.b> Blues' some dis-. cussed*the propriety''of.taking' tho first' train; int<)''\Yellington,. and,lMving'the cover as best; might l that their mission)was . at, an, pnd,f,but,: as far .as could bp ob-' Verved, tho llads never dreamed of any.'such, alluring; a Itemafive'to the*. unpleasant track' of - hard- duty.' ; Wet or' dry,) tliey purposed to ■ keep an pflicieiit 1 watch ,011' tlio- Johnsonvillo " Neck," and "did; ,'Specially)tryihg'appcared to bo the lot of tlio Post and Telegraph Rifle's, 1 who) had pKavgo of, the signalling.' In some cases their; " Bigbie." lamps were:blown r oyer ,by^'/tho: gale, but they , stuck t-o ; their business, .until' woll into. : tho .small ihours of Saturday',morning, when .the.conditions, bccanio so !>a<l that -further ...signalling was impossible.")'-One. .could; not help ' reflecting.; that : such'■:institutions" as tho . cant-eon• had) a; ccrtain: and;, sufficient - justification in. the .-weather.'' It waswell patronised and, :it" may, bo added,' excellently 'conducted; Saturday ovehing .closed in in rain, aiid "dreariness). but Sunday, morning: brought' a' chango. : For tho first timo for,'twenty-four hours tho sun' pf.iipe;l out. .• • . ); ) ' )''. '.'■ --; ;■ FEELING FOR THE ENEM,Y. - On Friday 'evening,' and almost immediately after shaking down into. canip, tlio business of;getting touch with'tlj'o'Blu'o raiders began.The commander of tho Red Force (Lieut;Colonel '.W; ;•(!." Dutliie); evidently - felt that. .prompt.,)measures - were ' necessary .' to satis T : iaetorily establish tho' dcfonco. of .Wellington, .arid'.,took'-steps to throw, out' a strong.,line of Pubposts, extending across couiitry front the on'.tho .'west to tho'. Hutt' road 011 the Harbour side.- As .a general thing, this lino, of: posts .was pushed forward throo or' four miles in front of tlio camp at Johiisonville,' .'but patrolling was,: of ■ course,, carried ont very much further forward. .. Excellent r&-: opnnoitring W'ork was dono by tho Red mounted brigado, under Major Russell, who very soon, located tho. advanced positions of Bluo, sand furnishe;l) a steady 'Succession of roports to headquarters at Johiisonville. Im'portant. aud vulnerahle i>ointfS were swiftly iioizcd and adequately hold by .the mounted men, ponding the. arrival of the infantry, 011 tyhoni,. chiefly, falls. tho business of • solid . defence,! particularly .at night. As early as 2 a.m. 011 Saturday an attempt was mado by a small force of Blues bo penetrate-the posk tion .via t-ho Hutt Road. 'Whether this was real.',business or merely a;"'fceler'' was-not apparent from ' thp- lted .sido, hut- the movement, whatevor. it was, was speedily frustrated. In l preliminary encounters of this, kind some, Inuglmhlo situations wero created both; 011 .'Friday evening and.'Saturday. • Hero aiid tliero. small advanced parties, seeking shelter ill tlio rain, exploited'' homesteads or other havens of refuge, and walked right into . :t'bo arms of . similar p:irtie.s representing Blue. What exactly was dono ;in these eases was not very clear, but tho usual Ihinp; was that theso friendly .enemies fraternised, oxr. changod' refreshments, and tacitly agreed that till) accidental, meeting was too .-small a matter to 'mention to tho umpire stall'. Tlio nature of'these informal and irregukr friend-ships-.was well illustrated by tlio case of a small squadron of mounted Blues, who. woro moving about on tlie hills near Porirua about daybreak, on' Saturday. They landed.clean into the arms of r. strongly supported R«1 picket, and, as tho situation somehow did not seem to _ call for shooting or other moasurcs looking to tho effusion of blood,

tho two parties pf rather surprised warriors I simply sat down and had breakfast togother. But not all such incidents ended so amicably. In one case a couple of patrols met in a tent ''(-■ar Porirua, and began to comparo notes. Said one: "I'm a Blue!" Said tlio' others ■ ' If that's tho ca'se, it's my duty to inform you that I'm Vdismounted Red; you're..my 'meat anyway, and, as an earnest of the first capture in tho war,. I'll take your horse." And ho did so. ' Incidents of this kind bristled, and quite a' number of -"gentlemen' in khaki" claimed to have captured other gentlemen similarly arrayed ; lmt. as umpires cannot be orerywhere, and thoro was 110 other means of sottling differences, tilings had to remain pretty much in statu rpio. ' Prominent among the various scouting units were ;tho Heretaunga Mounted Rifles." On Saturday, shortly after midday, Captain Samuel: led out a detachment consisting of men of' his own corps and tho Pahiatua'-Mounted Rifles.- The party proceeded out along tho Hutt Road, and after passing l'Ptone, 'dropped in for somq little excitement, a couple'of the. advance'guard being surprised by somo of Major Tatiim's mounted 1 battalion who were posted at Cutlby's stables. It was really aii affair of yidettes, and a prisoner or. two was the utmost damage clone. As' far as coiild be seen when the business was over, ..honours wei'o.'easy.. Hero and there. 0110 drppjicd' across . parties of - infantry marcii'.jiigiin the-rain, and : 0110 could not help being strucli by the manner in which somo of these sturdy fellows got - over the ground'. Oii- one occasion' a- party of the College Rifles, carrying baggilge, liavobacks; ' water bottles, etc., , cut oiit the distance between the jJohnsonville camp *ahd the Olfariu cross roads in ' slightly' over 4o rather remarkable" bit' of marching. .' .WITH THE SWORD OF GIDEON. •_ 'Operations,' looking to warfaro of "a ■ more intimate nature,; really began at' 5 p.m. 011 -.Fridayj when headquarterson both sides made preparations Tor. attack. Although,, in a'generali way, l tho "rules of the game required tho Rod forco-to act 011 tho defensive, - a passive defence was by '110 -means contemplated, '.and at 'Johiisouvillo ii was tacitly understood that/ if Blue showed his hand 'Siifliciqrii-ly, - ho "Should 1 , be smitten hip and thigh. - All'; Saturday much speculation war indulged, in by tho Red force as to the probable' liaturo' and direction of -Blue's holding and real attacks) and, . alniost needless to' riiention,' the Red'preserves wero placed in such positions as).woi>ld admit of suitably" reinforcing ' the) advanced screen, whorev'efit might-bo' struck. Nothing, how--1 ever) v.occurred' toVwiirrant concentration for battlo,'; and;-in comparative peaco,' evening settlcd.'.dpv/n on the operations of Saturday/' It was fully 4 a:iii." on; Sunday before the ball Tcallv opened. . • THE BLUES IN jyiOTION. ' ; It had been intended to arrange a f gonqral armistice covering Sunday, jii per:'mit, of holding a brigado church parado-at tho Johnsoilyille camp, but ihq . dislocation, of arran'sements':,caused. by_ tho first two (lays' bad weather rendered it'.imperative to co on with the: manQcuyres .all Sunday. Tlio Rev) W. : , Shire'r,'!Chaplain-Majof, '.who was; to liavo.'ofliciatcd by. this ; inyitation of Cqlonol Baufihop, was jiotified of the alteration cancelling; the. parade, but; ho. nevertheless visited the camp 011, Sunday, ' devoting. special "attention.'to the hospital,'in wdiich. several', of, the men ;wero hprs do combalj through, minor, ."ailments' incidental to'camps.' Very early on Sunday .morning it bccanio apparent to the 'defenders . ( at Johnsonvillo. and vicinity. that tho .Blue, commander., was about to move • forward in force). )-0n Friday evening liis campl'was 1 pushed forward from Pahautahui and established: at Porirua) where tile nucleus of: the VBliio force remained' all Saturday. between ', outposts and advanced ,troops thickened during" Sunday morning, 'and. by ; ricpn,' the soiind- of firing, all over tlio. thcatro lof- oppratioiis .was fairly general.',,, This developed - into, a general engagement as .the afternpoh progressed, but it . was many .hours .before, the real/nature, and direction of tlio attack disclosed. itself. In)fact, .pvents.developed in the sloiv, methodical, way which mostly characterises real warfaro. The ways and method? )of, tho old "sham fights,'V when'.botlies- of troops were thrown at each;'other. with Jittlo .or 110. pre-, liminary reooniiaisaance, arei apparently, gonp for 'over,- and-the steady and skilful develop-' imeiit )of -the -figlit ■ on -Sunday : aftonippn- says much -for:'- improvement in' mili-; lory . education which has: characterised New. Zo;ilahd. .volunteering during the. past few- years,; and especially- sinco tho existing Council.'of Deferico. took up the -reins. ) By.'-3 p.m.; the attackers liad' pressed.'south: in advahco;: pf-Tawa,. and tlio .defending, line' ; of Reds was being steadily. driven..mi Activities Were 011 tho wholo .mostly in evidence oir tho high- ground lying «bout four ; mile's iiorth of- johnsonvillo and;qiiito close to tho railway is to say, the centre of-.tho defence was. seriously threatened, but whether the movemo'nt that the Bluo commander ivas-making his main ellort here, or whether, the operation was'designed, as a "holding attack" until such time as one of tlio flanks—either, at;, Ohariu ' or towards .Ngahaurangar-could . be .exploited :was -a 'point on which opinion, was naturally; chaotic.' All'that tlio Red' commander could do' at this stage-of the ; action'was to keep his reserves' in judicious.-positions- and to feed his-firing line at; the: central position whero tho -enemy was .'driving in-; ,his. '.advanced troops.; \' V..- ■ , ':.' 7i -' : '-■ ■ WATCHING THE BATTLE. .' During' the afternoon; tlio trains from, tlio city brou'ght-.'iip .a large numbsr of .visitors,' somp 5U6 or 600 of these bsing present 111 the Johiisonville camp, while largo numbers of sightsacrs-in motors;.' on . bicycles) arid on horseback i'.mado,' their way by road 'to the .position just south of ; Tawa, where,the'sound of;, the- firing indicated'' 'that. the eiigagoment was general. Very little of what, is soiiiv!times termed the ."picturesque 1 side of war" was to be, seen. On tho tawny countryside the. lchaki-clad .combatants wcm ".scarcely visible, their presence being indicated chiefly by. the crack of their rifles, or. by tho booming of tlio field, guns) two- of which • accompanied •• each forced -. A tactical point of i great , impdrtan'co. was, however, everywhere visible. Just after th'e Boor war, when tlio rago for "cover" was at its height, it was .thought to bo good businass to advance to tho attack up gullies and other-"re-entrants."- Wo' have changed all that;: To those. New Zealand Volunteers who had not had actual war experience tho peril or this method of advance' was first demonstrated by Colonel .Robin. In the days when lie commanded the' Otago ■ district very frequently his- first word in criticising ■manoeuvres wa's: "You must, in advancing to the attack, avoid as much as por,siblo. gullies, and-re-entrants,.; and -'press', along the salient spurs!"' That this: point'is well understood by the Wellington Volunteers was evidenced yesterday. . Almost invariably tho attackers kept cloar of the gullies,and stuck to the spurs, ridges,,and other salient .fear tures of the ground. A WEDCE DRIVEN IN. Early in theiaftoriioon tho Blue commander successfully drove a wadge into tho Red centre a short distance south of Tawa and quite close to tho maiit; road. This occurred between Marshall's Ilill and M'Gee's. Here: the Bluas, at' this stage,, wore showing something like .two and a quarter miles of. front. Opposite them the Reds had had originally three small columns..; Tho . central: 0110' was oil Marshall's Hill, and was under the command .'of Major. -Mackintosh." . A'-second column, uncbr, Major Tate,. was ■ at M'Gee's, ivhilo the third, commanded by Major Halpin, was at Ohariu. Altogether, this made about six milp'j of front. Tho Blues feinted at tlio central position, and then,- deeming .themselves. unable ,to successfully carry. it, . inserted, the head of their attack betv,'ecu the columns commanded by Majors Mackintosh and Tato, iind limitq 011 to the ground thus won.; Arrangements wcro then made by tlie Bluo commander to advaiico his transport, commissariat, and baggage.to Tawa. -At.this stage events wore an appcarancc . distinctly favourable-to the Blues, and both flanks of. the defence- had by tliis time tested a little.. A particularly daring raid was attempted early in the day by Captain'Sorenson, of the l'eilding Mounted 'Hides. Ke attempted to peiiatralo the defeiite in tho vicinity of Ohariu,. but ho must'havo encountered lather solid opposition, for ho was ordered' hack by- the umpires. ' riNISr! OF THE DAY'S FIGHT, Tlie general result pf the day's engagement liad not been announced by the umpires up till 7 -p.m.; yesterday. As a general"thing,! however, it had become fairly patent that th.i attack 011 the Red centre was tho real attack. Up till that Krae whatever was

stirring on the flanks appeared to be of minor import. When darkness put an end to hostilities the firing of t.ho defence wis quitw elose to Johnsonville, from which it was clear that that force hful fallen hack several miles from tlio position in which they had deployed in tlio morning. No successful breakthrough of a decisive character had been achieved, though one or two small parties .of Blues seemed to consider that they had gotthrougli. From a tactical point of view such small penetrations v/onld not bo important. Some fairly large "hauls""of.prisoners) were mado h.y both sides., prominent'among irhich. was a party of 34 Blues who weiv. marched into ■Johnsonville camp about dusk. . Operations close at 12' a.m. to-day, in order to permit of country Volunteers returning homo in good time. 1 , Colonel Bauclinp has acted as director of manoeuvres, and the Defence Council has been represented by Colonel Robin, C.8., and Colonel Collins. A party of . officers from 11.M.5. Pegasus visited the camp during the afternoon. THE TURN OUT FOR NEW ZEALAND. Teragraphie' advice received by the Chief of the General Staff (Colonel 1-iobin; C.8.) gives the turn out for the various centres in New .Zealand as follows:—

THE HOLIDAY IN PALMERSTON. (BV XELEGHAPn— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) • Paimerston North, April 10. a ' Heavy rain on Saturday prevented the Easter, .bowls tournament from being co.n----j tinned. Rink matches , will be continued tomorrow. . . . .. '■ >. -. '• ■ , ■ !< Three, football teams: arrived from Wel"lin.Kton, but play ;was impossible, ■ The weather .cleared, yesterday, and there are. good prospects .for the ■. Caledonian •Sports to bo- held- to-morrow. A largo, attendance is expected. ■ * .At the...Methodist Camp, this evening,: a combined nanip was held in tlio Machinery ■ Hall, -at the A. and ! 1 . Grounds. The Rev. A. 15. Chappell,- M.A., presided.. . The annual meeting of the-Union will be held,,to-morrow, l'lie Young- Women's Convention was continued on Saturday, Sister. Julia addressing a- meeting in tjie morning on girl life in. New Guinea. It was decided to lio'ld tlio Convention next year in Auckland,'and tlio Executivo will be clccted from !'members of that district.

Wellington ... " ... ...' 2340 Auckland ... .... 898 . Nelson ,,, \... , ;.... " ... 250 . .West-port ... ... .. ... 150 .Canterbury ... . 1163 Otago ... ... ... 1212 Total ... : ... ... .6003