DEFENCE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 532, 12 June 1909, Page 14

DEFENCE NOTES.

(Br .Eomuni.) BOY SCOUTS; For some time past, it haa boon apparent that, tho "Boy Scout" movement, initiated and organised by Lieutenant-General R. S. S. Badcn-Powoll ("8.P."), has become an "institution," speaking in this sense that football, hockey,' cricket, and other kindred sports are also standing institutions. Inaugurated in England, it rapidly attained a great voguo in the: British Isles, spread to Canada .arid Australia, and has now established a looting here in New Zealand. Scout patrols have becomo very popular among tho boys in Canterbury, there are several patrols in the Wairarapa, and there has lately been added to tho movement three patrols at Miramar. So far, it would appear that the value of tho "Boy Scouts" movement has bcon taken for granted, namoly,'l suppose, from the fact that the idea and its principles were ',? nun a soldier whoso reputation as a master of scout-craft is "popularly" ■ supposed to be beyond question. As "8.P." conceived it, and as it has in some places been earned out, the "Boy Scout" movement has proved• itself of some value, and has certainly fulfilled the anticipations of. its author. Bnt since it so often happens' that enthusiasm outruns discretion, it is quite probable, indeed, certain, that in their zeal some patrol organisers have lost sight of the underlying principles of the movement.'Somo timo-ogo, 1 happened upon a New Zealand scout patrol, abroad on its lawful occasions, ami entered into conversation with a member of tho party. ,;What wero they doing? Attacking the enemy," he'replied. Where was the enemy? Ho indicated a fringe of scrub oh-an adjacent spnr. How did ho know that the enemy was there? He replied

hat ihey were supposed to go there to decndthe spiir.-Had'he seen them? No. Any them? No. What were his instructions?,, To-advance upon, the fringe of scrub-..t0 .attack: tHe. enemy iuid to keep cover. What were the prevailing wind 3 o? u , n 4 r y ? ',,M°iknpw. Where was the north? '.Wasn i quite Sure; How many creeks h!« or threo - R Two Houses? Hadn't taken any count of them. How -far had .he travelled? A long way WV,T ma3ly £" les, rabont? Didn't- know! Where was his scout master? A long way 1 direction, north, east, fouth, or west ?. Didn't know. Had he noticed any and Z 1 ?- n , dl ? ark £ 011 &> trees, roc™* ' "j. i ■ ' : r «p«ea, tor the enomv " Bβ- stared, nnoomprehendingly.. " "There's S« ti£w scou \ th" f% * ■ ?"*' ,°- r eTCn the medium result framing .which was given to hi? patrol he main fact is that he was keen, uitoUi lent,; m- I OTe with; the . idea, but h? wt mS? 1 -.vW..PSjhpse.lm.es. The only'vulner ■ble point m the movement, as it is at pre ng, if properly, carried out, should auickrin he senses,, develop the.powers ofoCrva-■-snarpeo Vlu . reasoning powers, and nS" , V* : d S d ,? ce r f^ts iTom indications, = nd make him ■Sβ f-rehant. Incidentally the m.the idea, while attractive o most boys, should not, as in a number if casee ,t appears to, be allowed to Tverhadow the.principles to which I have rt weven more than in a minor degrw the scheme at all. Scouts aw iot_ fighters—except when cornered. Theit msmess colkt information," not only cgarding the enemy,, but also with regarS o the nature of the country-roads, streams, lands and'so on-and record m theßeJhings m sketch maps and notes, rhey must know more than something of >stronomy phyeical geography, all scientific racts, in short, that will assist them to find sheir way with confidence and secrecy over unknown and hostile country. The te"st of the raluo of the "Boy Sconts" movement lies in its results. Do tho boys learn the first principles of scenting—observation, deduction so f-rolianco, caution? If they do, well, excoljent.. If they -do not, well, the thin" is no. more than an inconsequent pastime" I have heard also of-"Girl Sconts." Mere foolishness. • • ■'■'■.• . With bo .much,talk of uniTereal.mmtary everybody seems to want it —local automooiusts will, no doubt, be glad or a hint as to their sphere of military usefulness:'. This'.isvvrbat Germany ia domg:— The Berlin-Volunteer Automobile Corps is at prosent a very exclusive organisation, only actual mombers of the German 1 Automobile Glut being permitted to join on the recommendation of the president. Every member is a'Gorman subject,'in possession of a good car of not less than 18 h.p., togothor with a Gorman chauffeur, and is subject to strict military authority be.ho a Eeservo or Landwehr officor or a civilian pure and simple. Mombers. are liable-to be called up for service in time of war,Jand in peace time, must attend,' during four consecutive years, three tours of ten daye each. They recoivo, while on duty, £1 16s'. per day, being £1 for oxponsos of the "car: and 16s. as militaiy pay. The uniform; is. khaki jacket and pante, yellow boots, - gaiters; ■■ and a flat cap. Tho badges of rank and collar are red. ' For arma they carry a repeating pistol and short hunting sword, the 'latter having an ivory scabbard for superior officers, and celluloid scabbard for junior ranks. Prince Henry of Prussia, is'theoommariduig officer, tnd the secretary of tfhe Autembbile Club is Chief Staff Officer. Lord Roborts's Bill for compulsory enlistment, in, the British Territorial Army is a , ; measure founded generally on a manifesto issued by the lpaguo in February, and provides that, subject to certain exemptions, a training in thb ranks of the Territorial Army .j£;,to;-!i;lbed standard, based oa the e en °roJ.

principle of one oontinuooa training o£ four mouths in camp for the infantry (with longor periods not exceeding two additional months for the other arms) shall be compulsory on til] able-bodied youths in this country between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one, without distinction of class or. wealth, auch trainmg to be followed annually by a musketry coarse and a fortnight's training in camp for tho next three years. The men thus trained should be liable to bo called out for service in tho Territorial Army for home defence only in a time of emergency up to the age of thirty. It is claimed that the Territorial Army in the fonrth year after this system has boen introduced will consist of fully 400,000 men on its active list, with 150,000 recruits undergoing their training of four months. In addition to this, and behind the Territorial Army, there would grow up a reserve of men trained to arms, which before tho expiration of their liability for servico would amount to. some 600,000 men. The additional annual cost of this system, - far from reaching the figures of twenty millions ' officially given-in both Houses of Parliament, will not exceed four millions.

Tho introduction into lie German Army of a now pattern ammunition with increased muzzlo velocity has been fully justified by oxporionce since it was first taken into use early in 1906. Its adoption necessitated the provision of a new back-sight for tho Mansor riflo (1593 model), and alterations in the scheme for musketry training of the Gorman Army. Tho bullet is pointed in shape, and is commonly 'known as the "S" or Spitze (pointed) bullet. It is 1.11 inches in length, and tapers down to .028 inch at the point, the roar part of the body of bnllet being slightly conical, increasing from .321 inch' in diameter at the base to .322 inch at about .313 inch- from the.base. Its weight is 154.31 grains, made, of lead, witlTa steel envelope coated with nickel, and has a hollow base The velocity is 2,830 feet per second at a

distarioe of 80 feet' from'the muzzle. Ifc can penetrate an iron plate .276 inch'.thick at a distance of 380 yards, and timber 4, inches thick at a distance of about 1960 yards. In..Stockholm.a flying,..torpedo, epecialli designed for the destruction oYairships, hi Lilt p n i ™ TCnt^ r TJ,rou ?'' the to of Lieut.-Col. IJnge, Messrs. Krupp, of Essen have secured the solo license to manufacture tho same The inventor in 1902 and 1903 constructed the cylindrical balloon known as • 'Svenska I" and "Svenska II." This flvmg : torpedo ranges a distance of 5000 snii 7I s thro ? M " diameter, wcifihs SUJb., and has a bursting charge of 31b of guncotton, ' , . ■