EASTER MANŒUVRES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 177, 21 April 1908, Page 7

EASTER MANŒUVRES

r WITH THE LAND FORCES. BLUES BREAK THROUGH THE RED - ' LINE. ■ ■ , ' THE CITY SAFE. . REDS ACHIEVE A CENERAL' ADVANTAGE. When,the chill of Sunday, evening foil ot ■ > tho battle, wliicli t had. wrestled over fortj' square miles of hill and gully in the country north of Johnsonvilie, tho principal mteroßl of tho '.rank-and-file was, no doubt, suitablj embodied in tho general query of tho JohnBonvillo small boy:—"Say, mister, wha won?" Forunately it is possible to answer : the question,; although it mll : be days orweeks before headquarters completes' its qx- y amination of a myriad of' minor reports, , t which-will have to be crystallised into v a' general; whole. In.yesterday's'issue, it was-' surmised that, the main attack of Blue was. on .the Red centre (near the railway line), and. when the last shot , \vas ..fired towards ' noon on Monday it was abundantly apparent that o\ir sunniso had hit the right nail on . tho headv To, bHng tho picture vof \ battlq into focus at'once it is necessary to recall that, by 3 p.m. on Saturday, tho Blues lia<f driren a _ .solid wedgo into the I{ed rights centre. So'far, so good; the wedge that : ' had been inserted was riover dislodged. To- ' ; all outward,appearances it; looked tlit centre of'the lino of defence) by, Lieutenant-Colonel: Duthio, would bo com- ■ pletely ■ pierced, and that every militarr principle, would presently .declare that Wek lington wis/ taotically'speaking,: ii doomed'- : PAty- .n. theory,the wedge was something: - liko the Aapoloonic wedge driven in at Aus. terlitz, but - . Lieutenant Colonel, Duthiq seema to bo the sort of officer "who does iiot know' when hp is beaten." All the timo that liir xentre t'wflß being? - hie- left; wins : (posted in tho vicinity of' Ohariu). 'stood fast.' What is njisy to Eee. Tjia further > tho Blue eommancjer .droyo boino; his 'blow - ■ on tho centre, tliO/nioro .completely the: Re- ' • left wing began to'outflank liiin',; - , True, hr had brought ,up his- headquarters from,, I'orirua. to Tawa Flat, ; and,' tho road, to\, •Johnsonyille now J6oked easy; Most im-' portaut of all, men; lma captured a j .'■■■ dominating position, known M Spibqr and ?-a; "superficial view of 1 • ' things :';seemed' ito 'indicate that tho Red torce would be; shelled neck and crop out of Johnsonvulo early-on Monday morning. l Buthere the tide of BJiia success" finally..ceasedJ to flow, and tho pbbs and shallowp of mis-' 1 fortune , canjo more prominently into tW '

~~ BLUE COMMANDER CAPTURED." , 6{ all Lieut Cofoiiel John Watt fell rinto-jtho hands, ot tho,Philistines." In the small hours of Monday morning bo rode for- ' 1 ward .^ l ..recfl n uoitrD, ; ,..his adversary more - oloseJr,) and ,vras inalmg his way back fiomi when a detachment o£ tho Post and Telegraph Ri/le<s. blocked' hia way—m v ;tact, detained him; and sent him to tho Rod> paini) pending -the dec.s.on ,-of the umpire Jj®.'JnonJent.hadatp humorous side. -Oojcmc]; Watt ,is..a very.old qomnaigi»r, and . • an, equal y. old campaigner is Cojonel Colljns,' .iniapcial, of: tho. Defonoo Oouucil , iney hayo probably.camp^jgned together: for a quarter, of ;a oonturyi' ahd no- doubt liaivo '>' formed one of. ithoso old-ostablislHii . friend-• 1 ships which aro' sd typical of the spirit of' ivolunteenng. "Yet such aro tha: freaks "of .in this case, a son of ColontJ ■ ■voHms whoicapturod Golpnol Watt! ■ 1

' THE INVINCIBLE RED LEFT. , So tho, Blues. were temporarily minus a coniiinviidci,'; but ~ ovojn ,more \pubstantial ... tioubles worq in store ifon tliem. Th-e pro- ' jeotmg.Red Ibft.wilig. now felt'.equal to projecting itsslf-a littje further,-and m the grey.twilight of Monday mornmg an attacking foroo' .moved- out., tof:tackle' a ho lessimportant- , place tlian. : :tlio;Bluo headquarters at Tawa ■ EJ^t,-.yhey achieved pistol range before they were discovered, whejv the defending artillery, ■ hastened to turn on " case." Itiwas tho only instance .in the manoeuvres where -the. Bel- . ligerents got^. to J' ease'' .artillery range, V but, formidable as this kind of artillery pro- • i jectilo is, the umpires did not deejn it clfec< , t-iv.o',, and' tl)o attack -was ,;ndjudged to' liavC: ' succeeded. l If [hero had been bullets in tin guns, Blue would have bfifin or routed. It was the most important-incident in tho whole:, of t the operations. ■' The attacking ■ t;xiopa' 'arrjFed : somewhat piecemeal. There wis*, sin!', jhitml- jnroad of'.-mounted men, ami :. after.these marched the infantry., 11l this connection ;it ;shojild: bo mentioned tliait th» . . College; Rifles, under Ljdutenant Mee, ! per . formed a second forced march of five milesf mopping up the ■ distance in 45 minute? iff, - heavy - marching: ■ ordeft .carrying groat-coatg,; ■/',. ■ • havcrsaplis, J aiid other, impedi-■>'' . montii.'-Vlji its general result this envelop- •; mbnt'- pf' tljo . Bliio. headquarters at -Tawa 1 .••••;• should: havo;.'ended tho war,, and, j n . the. -, . opinion of headquarters, it did.' Everything elso is moroly incidental. - . ■ . ■:

A CURIOUS EXPLOIT. ... And,the. first, incident is no loss a matter. .t)ian :the;. penetration of the City of Wellington by what is. gtated to liaVd' been. 400 of the Blues. They left their lines late on Sunday night, and) travelling'iiv separate parties.. . broke j:thrpiighi tho'? Reds' r ,'right,: ajid' gained?' t-lit; cjty.• At first • sight thjs wears the .pearancp of wi il .cffcctive countQrKtrokp ) in. ' deed' a winning : move,; but this is not the view entertained by headquarters. .Andy hcadquartors are. right. ; By; just; eluding Lieutenant-Colohel Duthie's; force'' in ; thff darkness of the > nipht, this ' Blueflyinj coluiiin merely shut itself up in p trap. • It could not expect to meet friends in Welling;; ton, and its certainly, left a. serried cordon of foes''behind. -1 Son'ie.i other, 'aspects of tlw': movomojit are more difficult to explain, bid' it hiayjbe;said ;that the'object .of inaiipeuvrei, ■ is? to gain .'a succession at winning• tactical ' positions; callitig the atfaitipii bf the uippires;' to bach'as'it is 'gained, 1 and so working for-' ' ward until the enemy has had capitulationimposed on hiniby regular military necessity. ; Now; l as it happened, the Blues had already; ['got hold of an artillery position on Spicer'a< •Hill, 71 which dominated Jolinspnvillo : at .aw range of something like 2500 yards. In organising this Inight raid to Wellington : thoj» stripped the Spicer HillV.posiJiion of . troops and practically, threw it away. If they had been content to hold' it and; bring up -their., guns,' Lieutenant-Colonel Duthie must, have been compelled to pvacuato Johnßorivillo 'on Monday morning. '' Altogether . these Bluo raiders would' have done, better to havo - stopped at • home. If • they captured Wei- , lington, as they claimed to ,kave done, why; was tho firing still "hot on the Johnsonvillf. front as late as 11130 aini. on Monday? ?

HUMOURS OF STREET FIGHTING. Loss i,controversial,and much inoro-humor* ,ous;wero .the exploits of some of the mounW •• men at 'Petono: Thi&- place (far away on tin •;!. "right' flank' of the defence) was not soriously ■ monaced during tile, operations, but it had • to,l)e constantly reconnoitred, for, oir the <' Rod side; it was never absolutely certain what mannerof surprise, packet would omergo from Blue's "P ox of tricks." On Sunday morning a mounted iletaolinipnt con- ■ • sistinfe of tho Herctaunga Mounted Rifles •' ajiij jfusterton mon/under clinrgo of Captain Samuel," tlic bthor officers with him being Captain M'Killop and Lieutenant Whittivkor) ■ moved out from the Johnsonvillo camp ai 2.30 a.m. .Reconnoitring slowly forward tlioi reached the-vicinity *of Pctono bridge about 7 a.m.,,; At-tho hotel wore a small party of • tho. enemyp 'aPd pn Captain Samuel's men made.nil immediate and energetic ruslu is no umpire was near, any capturo, if it ivas-to bo made at all, had to be - made by jhysical force." _ One side . ran, -tho other " :based,. am] possibly Petono residents: never ■ " vitnessed such, a wild stampede as then' took v " : ilacp'. im the streets., :Of the captures ho. . most,rxunou's' . was - one in .w'liichi' two roopers, racing neck and ncck, crashed into ; lamp-post.' i CrasHvivont the post, levelled o the ground, and crash came, troopers and ibrses to tho pround with it: Tho 1W man's iprso;. galloped r on, straight into the Bluo lies, but, on the .whole,'the Red man had easfln, to be satisfied with what happened le .hung-on .to. and retained his opponent-^ orso and man.. > r •

THE ARTILLERY: SOKE CRITICISM. ,•Arid .now,.for. the field, a'rtillory—"unit one »nd indivisible" as'tho army .text-books have 1 it ( but readily divisible in Now Zealand, . 'Vnore artillery companies are many and guns are fow. Tho. work-of the guns'all Sunday ; and Monday was heavy, but'to be too eulo;lv . "gistio of,its ability to reach a quick appreoia- . . tion of tho situation would be to iniss the mark. It is, of course; admitted -that' D Battery is a very fine artillery .corps, and a having made-.this admission it becomes easier ' to lie strictly candid.: Two guns accom- , • pamed each force, and. in the; - battle of I, ■■ ■• Tawa, each of- thoso "Sub-units was obliged .■■■■■).• to shift from position to position'arid to be : ready for any emergency \at tho shortest ....., . notice. .-'Now nothmcMS .moro. necessary fio ■' - tho success of a military operation than a !'. , swift awl. advantageous, employment-of. guns -.. '■■■■■.' at tho: very beginning of- the fight:.- In real ' _ warfaro- ...to fail * hero is ..to fail altogether, and it was, horo. that apparently, the artillery > ,■.( did >not succeed. Tho. sound, of the Red' ar- , ...... tillory was, not. heard, until, Sundayls battle i.-.v: .., was well advanced,, and during' its ,time- of f ■ Bilenco it might unquestionably have played > .>i i an important- part. > •..'When'.'it did •unlimber ;v . it was (in the opinion of'the umpires) fairly pf:ft;'y;si L effective, vbut (even^theri: it failed to bring \v. ; , a> response from the. Bluo guns:' . There .was, *■;:■; -■ no artillery duel on Sunday in the sense in which the action of "the threa'arms' I, ■ combined", .is supposed to commence, and that was bad. On the other hand, tho , Maxims on, each side played an important f v , role,; and : their lash stung tha opposition ;* •- severely. In one instance a-Red Maxim was ; v. , so- excellently, placed that its , fire effect was adjudged to' bo _equal to that several guns of much larger calibre. The ;. f. v. wholo subject is worth,more than 'a passing ■- vthought.■ That great- model, from which tha-. basio,- .-warfare, aw drawn— Fiance versus Germany in • . worthy, of study, even:, bv the free■ and'independent artillerymen of/ Now, Zealand:. If 'n -■; * ■ f e w, copios ■of ./'Lqtters on • Artillery,'.' 'by •.:: Pimce Kraft. Zu Hohenlohe, were available for distribution in New Zealand,; and our '~■ ,:| oca \ artillerymen cared, to read thorn at-.. ........ • tentively, artillery, efficiency, here would ad- .. .■~ ,'vanco .a . hundred per cent. 'Tha 1 pattern of guns may alter with the march of time, but ;■■■■. ■.■■Junoamental-.-artiUery. ; principles are stationary. , . I - -■ --- NEW FEATURES IN MANOEUVRES. ' ;. . , 'Somofeatures; figure-,for. tho .first'"time in ! ■' thD history 0f... New..Zealand .- - • . ,-M lO vetennary-establishment has been men- . tionqdj ill: a previous :issuo;.the most serious k-.-*= i-: . 9J? c ,Khich w-as thrown on'its hands was that [ of a horse which died in tho fed lines Dei ceased was duly "post-mortemed " Tho In- < teJligonce branch m the .field is another new [ ?° x 1 1)0 ex P' a n'id 1 that this './■. " ■■ takes-, little cognisanco :of Blue or fi'-v.rv'".' -f®®" .P.0r.,50, and is not concerned with who . is Tunning or who is losing What tho Int tolligenco branch is concerned uith is the fV'-j jsctical features. of' the'various/.positions •of :™ay Urise:'V their , busit ness to furnish headquarters with early and I *j" '/ eport L on the f matters, and they have f• ' done.; so.- ;.The ;most;prominent; figure vin >Ilif telligence . -.'business during ; tho'. present: f.. '. man ? ellvres ' wa ? Gaptain .Siorton" 'I • [ i ' A VERY PLEASANT NOTE, i • ivP r = anise d by. Lieut.-Colonel. Bauchop is. maiin- [ ~ ■. forv thiSv : pleasant : statQ of L' Jhe'" sham fight" dajs of. long f. i • "So jt. used to bo the. practice .for each side : .. . to -'^ a^ l 7 . on Y one ■ and the troops f . nished to closo quarters after the ien slightest preliminaries The practice of at- | taohmg umpires to special units has been \ graduaUy extending during the past , ton [ ~ , . J o3r . s > b'jt it has fallen to Colonel Bauchop I V score tho biggest hit to date m this dnec- , tion. _ IJie efficiency of thd" umpiring (despite rh -n occasional misjiakes). was i really' remarkable - y'. /.A- number! of .the .umpires had two flar seivico to their credit, and;-about half a dozen of them had served at tho front ->,■y. ol °? el Bf'uchop s original i ;- :• J- . The Colonel's own general order tho i, troops,. when tho.;• manoeuvres concluded at midday yesterday, na& as follows — -.i "The director of manoeuvres, In 'de- - olding to conclude the movement, wishes ■" v ~ to ..express;Ms*pleasure at the' work and' * -< result- of / the manoeuvres, started / under tho severest,.weather, conditions. Cheerfulness, the attribute of all good I ssltSicrs, was always mamfest/ 7 The work done by both sides was creditable, and shows marked advance along the road to . efficiency. Tho training that - was Inflated found its culmination in man- . oeuvres under,war conditions inseparable from true manoeuvres. * He wishes the .. . troops a safe passage to their homes, and ' a return to othor. such fixtures in thev N i future." - .. I

: CONGRATULATED BY THE" PREMIER. ' - The'general, tone and muste/at the .man- - ocuvres gives.ground for.hope that-volunteor-' , 'yi n g..isinpt; 'vhaying-.its .last chance,", as is Bometimes said.,- Here, at, all events, j is tho , Premier's opinion 6f. the position as conveyod , .oy telegraph tp Colonel Bauchop: V, ; " I doslre to express my gratification at tho splendid muster at tho Easter env-• . campmsnt, and at- tho patriotic and -admirabb spirit shown by all;ranks. . In my capacity as Minister for Dofertce I Icarn with great-pleasure of the hearty ' mannsr.'ln which- every volunteer has cn- - ■> torod into the work of the past fow days," ,■ and to. officers.' and , men of all ranks I weuld ask you to convey my apprccia- ■ tion, of the good servicesMhoy have rendercd in the cause of defence. • -" J. C. WARD." ..

" LIGHTS OUT." " And-so , good T bye.'to'tho manoeuvres of ... 190S! • Both Blue and Red i marched back -to the Johnsonville. camp■■■-at' 110011 yesterday, arid, early in tho afternoon, tents were struck. - Immediately afterwards the. men entrained north .and ; ;south, except some of the 'mounted men, who had only comparatively short distances to cover. > From all sides complimentary reference, was-heard, touching the. liospitality .of the • residents : over, whose ground tho manoeuvres wore conducted. .Not" . only did these kind people furnish shelter for numbers of . tho picket line .when the weather was bad, but tea nnd other refreshments were liberally supplied. As to the much-discussed canteen, possibly there is only one.woid to bo said: No case of intoxication Was visible in either camp.

WAS THE. CITY'CAPTURED?

; - A .DISPUTED POINT. - ■' COLONEL ROBIN: INTERVIEWED. Tho somewhat sensational -accounts• which have 1 been circulated regarding the capture of tho city of- Wellington, by a'party'of Blub ; raiders, estimated, variously at; from '300 to 400 mcii, have givon-'riso to considerably coil-' troycrsy.-'among .memborsi of'the -opposing . - ' sides,: each - of whom claim- that the honqiirs of the-coneluclirig part of the campaign was • thoirs.-■ In; order to arrive atsome definite Settlement on the point, a representative'of'Tire interviewed- Colonel A. W. * Robin, C.8., Chief of the General Staff, last evening, and asked for an authoritativo statement upon tho question. Colonel Robin's • reply was practically an. endorsement of our correspondent's comments in l , his report ' in to-day's v issue, under tho heading " A Curious Exploit." ' V-' "It Is all nonsense," Colonel . Robin . said, to, say that a city can be taken by a body of morf evading the defenders, ; l ' . rushing into the city and cheering In A ! front of the Post Offico. Inthe first place, what those men. : did was no part 1 of the scheme of operations! Blue was to advance upon Wellington from the base, • occupy. sonio : portion" dominating the city."Had the •force which broke through ■ ' tho right of the Red line'been content to do that the case would have been different. Nevertheless, the Blues must be given credit for the fact that they broke' i- through the line, , and that was a blow . to the prestlge-oMhe Reds," ~

- The , Colonel wont on to say that; it was inconceivable. that a party of men could got through aa.enomy's line, gain the city, and claim to liavo captured it. -As a matter of fact, -what>'thcy >hadyactually done was to interpose, the Red's line between themselves and their' supply base.; Blues were raiders, and it was ho .'part of: a raider's business, to nttacb ahd a, city, and cut off its line of rfetreat.:; The B-cds, except for tho fact that they ; IhkK allowed such' a largo body' of 'men to break their somewhat attenuated iine, had, generally;- spoakmg, the best of it, but the _brcaking-of; their lino must be charged up against them. Blues had' gaiii<jd nothing by roach'ing tho city, but they - had lost by abandoning ...a' favourable, and commanding position'in order to achiovo an exploit which was-devoid of tactical advantago. OPERATIONS. ; v RAIDERS DRIVEN BACK. For the first , time in New Zealand land operations': with shrapner and rifle ball ammunition were put into practice, and carried to a.successful issue. The vicinity of Palmer Head,..,a., favourite ;resort of picnic\ parties, was"chosen as:the locality of the. manoeuvres, - which 'were'.based on;'the following order received: at" 9' yesterday' morning bv Lieut.Colonel',Campbell:— ( . ' "An enemy has niade a successful

landing near Palmer Head. Reinforce the troops at Dorset Point, and drive off 'the attack.',.; The landing is being covered by the fire of; a cruiser." ' >

, Tho plan of.,attack .was so. designed as to introduce '• as much v realism: to the operations as possible. Khaki-coloured scrim targets were; fixed' at- certain "positions ,up to 2700 yards,'' along ;the^'..beach'-below Palmer .Head, to.' indimito : advancing 'bodies' of men. The ■Pofohe'Navalsi under Captain Freeman, were instructed to'sheU ther landing of the raiders, using shrapnel, while" the Wellington Navals (Captain Men?ies), R.N.Z.AL .Corps (Captain Hume) ,i Electric'. Light Company (Sergt.r Major Parrcll)j: Woodvllle Rifles .(Captain Rapley), and' Hntt: Valleyi Rifles , (Captain Ross) : wero formed into a:-naval"brigade, " with''rifles; -'and l ' supplied .with 20: rounds 'of : ball' ammunition each. . The bigt 8-inch guns l at,-'-the''fortsvwere meanwhile t<F devote.: thci r attention to the enemy's cruiser. Y ,SAFEGUARDING THE PUBLIC., Needless . to : say,- operations such as. havo been indicated ,in}the .foregoing might_be attended danger, to the public, ■ especially wnen 1 carried out on a holiday, -in- tho.day time,''and it; is only by 7 the exercise -rof 'that '/shch • risk'can' bo'obviated: c, ' i lt is ducto Captain Richardson"ft•• say J'that'.. so; thoroughlj'. were tho' control ■ of" the' dahgor'zon'e organised,' that at rio^time 1 duf.in'g; the : operations e was; the• element of ' risk apparent. It is'- important to- note this, for it : establishes the facl; r 'th'at':field ta:ctics with live ammunition; at. unknown ranges can always bo. organised -provided adequate 1 means' be 1 made 'for/ €he .'supervisioii • oftho fire zone. - ' To ■ attain' 'this yesterday, Captain Richardson 'arranged': l S* screen';' of; outposts,detailed to warn the public. ' . prelimMary^rehearsal.'

✓ Before the' : cqmmprii&rieht. of' tie, operations Captain Richard^ofl'arranged f fora rehearsal, of fire coritrol.,.'Good; fire discipline is ; 'essential' if .effectivemusketry, is, to;be achieved, 'and' it' was' apparent from the rehearsal that the"importanco of fire discipline' had not'-been'sufifaiently; appreciated by the officers f and;-'"'im-coms:'" : of; the; various iinits.' ( : j in v must see ihat tho; correct raiige is ascertained/ and pass ;his ( ' instriibtiohs v 'i6: his /officers, ' ,'ivlio,; in turn,' iifansmikV ; "their 'sectioricommahders|' and ;so 'on,'to. the'men—all' this' by word pfWputhV His s .order may-be "'tar- : ':'rang^looo v yards.", Firo 'discipline' 'is . estimated by the 1 result of ■the order. , If,.every man in: the/firing' line has. picked up the target, and has adjusted .bis^sights : ,t<j ,'the'range given,' then the'!fii-o v discipline is.gppd.''.j'But 'if .some, are;pointing tp one' thing',"' r arid^thfers ! Ito 'something else,: ;'then ; fire discipline' 'is'^ppbr?'' 1 It was poor, in thp iproliminary. rehearsal yesterday, but, it' is'.'iust"t6 'say j; ; tliero' was' a' very;satisfactory improvement'-'during the . operations " which followed/;;' : V,--.' ' yv-, ■■■. " INACTION. j . . The .action commenced, with', a rapid ; and most 'effeqtivev firejwith..shrapnel'.from the 6-pounder •. Q;E; ;'giras-* at' 'Fbrfc-'vDorsdt, this' being .'designed, to. cover.-the. advance' , of .the defenders v;the ,bridge: southward of Beadon Hill;''and also to 1 demoralise '.the;ad-" vanco of the., raiders .who • wereS advancing along' the 'beach'.' The!; naval - brigade • meanwhile -had thrown;"out.-'scouting" parties arid ail >advancod.;lme of.. skirmishers, who manoeuvred to the, right . and soon established, a fbing.line, which:was. reinforced. Superiority of;fire' was maintained,'and accurate shooting, recordedj.'ithev average j being 10 per cent. After, an. effective bombardment by: the Gpounders, a Maxim was run ,up on the crest,' and p'op-popped at the enemy" in good stylo.-: ■This i practically concluded' tho, : Easter, coast. dofence. manoeuvres of-1903.;■ The manoeuvres attracted numbers of holiday-makers, who' assembled on the lulls,: and took a keen interest in' the shooting. : - i

CAPTAIN RICHARDSON'S COMMENTS

Referring--; to. "the 'operations, Captain Richardson. said' that ' for : the -first'' time' in! New Zealand they had carried out. co-opera-tive field tactics t with 'garrison artillery aiid ; infantry." vThe- garrison -gunner was, of course,' a gunner first.. -But' lie. must also have a knowledge of-musketry; and, which was most' important, shooting- at unknown 'ranges: The hece§3ity : . for Systematic practice in' fire disciplirie'had-also'been'demonstrated. ' Speaking - generally,' he considered that- the' experiments, which had' been attempted during the coast, defence manoeuvres, withVshell practice at night, had revealed many weaknesses which 'could now "be remedied, 'the' ultimate result being that a high. standard of service efficiency would be attained. NOTES. • Lieutenant-Colonel/Campbell has: had an arduous ( tiine. He had experienced great difficulty in. arranging his staff, and, owing to the fact that some had disappointed him much extra work had fallen, to his lot. He is to be "congratulated on. the -very successful results of the operations. . It is worthy of note that in these coast defence manoeuvres, there associated (undor-one fire- commander) no less than six company 'units—the Royal New Zealand Artillery, Wellington Navals, Petone Navals, Electric 'Light Section; -Huft Valley. Rifles, and tho Woodvillo- Rifles. ; \ • . The special features- of the manoeuvres were the .co-operation of -'the naval and garrison- forces, battle at«. night, field-firing.with- ball- cartridge, the examination service.;bythe,-.patrol' vessel, and' the ! searchlights, r The 'Electric -Light Section did: splendid'-service in connection' , with. 'the searchlights,being, on' duty all .- night, their work-, demonstrating that the'highly technical principles and practice of: this ■ department .could be capably mastered by a ■ Volun'"3r corps. ■ ■ Tho-.Hutt , Valley' Rifles and- t Woodville Rifles : expressed' themselves as being delighted with,-their work vat the forts. / They did not quite relish the idea of being ordered away the land; forces 1 , but they consider; that theywerewell repaid for any small sacrifice that might have been made. - ' 'After luricli, the annual, service class-firirig by tbo, Wellington-Navals' 6-pounder and 12pounder detachments ; was completed. 65 rounds being, fired by the former,- resulting in 90 per cent, of hits, and 45 rounds by •the latter,' resulting in 80 per cent, of hits' Surgeon-Captains Perry' and Gilmer we're attached to. the Garrison Artillery during the operations, but,\ happily, had nothing, in a professional sense, to seriously . cncaco their attention.

The little bill -for tho Easter manoeuvres of 1908 comes' to £13,000, tho' four defended centres absorbing £3000 each, and tho Nelson' district £1000.

AT THE^HEADS.

.SHELL AND RIFLE FIRE,

FIELD TACTICS BY NAVAL BRIGADE. Sunday evening; foil clear and still—a perfect night,'and some very fine shooting was put in by the Garrison Artillerymen.- The Petone Navals, under Captain Freeman; wore jletailedUo tho'right aaa loft 6in. B.L i _£un§ >

for service class firing. The first-series consisted of shrapnel firo at a stationary target at 3600 yards. Practice was then carried out at 3500 yards, moving targets, when a phenomenal, performance was recorded by this crack company. Ton rounds were fired in onnn. 30sec., and nine of these were hits. Tho Petono men were then relieved, and seven rounds wore fired by detachments from the-. Wellington Navals. Tho time registered was 4min. 30sec., with a full percentage of hits. .Tho shooting of both companies was very fine, especially that of tho Petono INayals, whoso work constitutes a record for night firing in tho Dominion. Tho Q.F. gun detachments, were then detailed lor practice at moving: targets. Tho.rato of ; fire was slow; tli© .-result was, liowovor, very sat-isfacr tory.. - During tho evening ,a raid was made on the-forts by of cadets from the Boys Institute,_ wjho proceeded to Miramar by tram, and skirmished up the slopes at the back of the forts. Tho raid was well devised, but a strong line of defence had he-en arranged -by Lieut.-Colonol Campbell, commanding the division, and tho raiders woro soon held up, and captured. Tho men got to bed about 1.30 a.m. yesterday.