MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1204, 12 August 1911, Page 6

MILITARY NOTES.

{, [Edited Bt Echelon.] NEWS FOR AUSTRALIA. INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S REPORT. An Australian firm (Messrs. Robison Bros, and Co.) have signed a contract to manufacture for the Defence Department 200 ammunition waggons and limbers for the 18-pounder guns. The total amount of tho contract is .£91,725, and the contractor undertakes to commenco delivery in six months' time, and to deliver at tho rato of,one waggon und one limber per day until the final supply has been made, which should bo before the end of September, 1912. The Bisley authorities have again made changes in the dimensions of tho target divisions. The latest measurements adopted are as follow: 200 yards, bull'seyo 5 inches, inner 12 inches, magpio 21 inches, outer, rest of target, 4 feet s 4 feet; 500 yards, bull's-cyo 18 inches, inner 30 inches, magpio 4G inches, outer, remainder of target,, G feet x- G feet. Tho 600 yards'' targets arc tho same as last year.. .'lt may .bo observed that tho new .dimensions' ivere'jin-iute at'Bisley this year'/aivd'they no'doWt account in some measure for tho smaller scores mado in principal .matches,, /as compared with scores in former year's. This year also tho figure target is'in use at 200 yards for llvs first time. Tho "V" central bull has been abolished-at tho long-distance.

A young and vigorous steol industry in Australia is one of tho pleasant dreauis of tho Federal defence authorities, just as tho lack of iron requirements during war is ouo of their nightmares (states an Australian contemporary). At present they are dependent on imported articles, or goods made locally from imported billets of iron, and the stoppage of these supplies at a time of invasion would imperil our defence work. Tho Quarter-master-General, Lioutenant-Colonel Lcggo, who is responsible for supplies, goesns far as to urge tho immediate application of electric working to tho iron orc> deposits in the States. The Ministerial attitude was defined recently by tho Act-'iug-Ministcr, Senator M'Gregor, to a representative of a firm of iron workers. The Senator stated that in future contracts for defence requirements clauses would be inserted that where possible tho mild steel must bo supplied by Australian manufacturers, lie urged strongly that manufacturers should cease to lean upon tho crutch of importation by making their steel from imported billets of iron, and that they should develop Australian iron oro deposits.

Four points from tho annual report of Major-General Kirkpalrick. InspectorGeneral of tho Commonwealth Military Forces :— 1. Instruction of Officers.— The education and examination of officers has been conducted in as satisfactory a manner as is possible with the .means at hand. Tho system of requiring tho permanent officers to pass the War Office examinations and lasts is both economical and sound. 1 entirely agree with tho chief of tho general staff that 'the general standard of military education in Australia, although greatly improved during the past few years, is still, in my opinion, below what is necessary-' The best way of raisuia this standard is to secure a trained general stall' to assist the citizen officer, and therefore no opportunity should 1m lost of sendin" officers to sludv at the C'amberley and Oiietta Staff Colleges, and while students "these officers might, with advantage, be replaced in Australia by others exehaii"od or borrowed from tho regular or Indian armies. More stall' tours are required, and the best results will probably bo obtained by ratting simple schemes on the subjects selected for tho special training of the year, and by chcosin" dates convenient to the citizen officers. The schools of instruction held have been too few." , . , r 2. Skeleton Forces in Training— My inspections indicate that this system has produced good results. While many mistakes have been made, and much remains to bo learnt, vet the fact that commanding officers were able to concentrate on ouo subject, has minimised waste of the short (raining period, fostered uniformity m methods, and has paved tho way lor.a further advance in the progressive instruction recommended by Lord Kitchener. Manv of the schemes for operations, vecii Ijv me, were too complicated. During continuous training, imaginary loiccs should be barred, and skeleton forcos should be used but sparingly, llio tiailing period is too short to permit of all ranks grasping the'meaning of these, <li-vic-M. and they therefore become unloading, instead of instructive. I constonily fcmii-1 ignorance aino igrt tho junior officers, non-eoimmssioiici °»-e-' % . and men, of what was going oi 1.1 la homo training of the squadron, battr j. and company was often incomplete. AM 111 belter .home training would d.saypea the noecs-itv for allotting -'ven two na>= ■ he continuous training; for ad company work. If not do, o be on- ' he ilrst day should lie employed > I o eon. i;r^ainf%vU^>«V^ministration of tho nnWer*. 1 ™™«f regulations, dealing wi h.registia on, exemptions, and medical iiisp-c ion, has produced satisfactory resu s. but. 1 note he low percentngo of medical, rejections, which appears to me to require a careful examination of the standard se and methods employed. As universal, training develops. Hie cost ot organisation, training, and equipment will imposo a. limit upon the establishment', and it follows that the standard of the medical examination for Hie adult on (ransier to the citizen forces must be sufficiently high to ensure that the quotas required in the years to come are selected irom

tlio fittest lads of their year. In tho next few months tho arrangements for the transition from the present organisation to tho future should be settled and promulgated." ~„.,, i. Substituted Transport-'Witli rogard to tho question of substituted transport, reports and my own observation indicate that— (a) Country transport is much better and handier than that from the towns. (b) First lino transport, i.e., macluno guns, S.A.A. and tool-carts, cannot bo improvised from civilian vehicles and it is therefore necessary to proeuro these vehicles in peace tuno. Tho provision on t'ho Estimates includes their construction. (c) Tho German wagon is a suitable vehicle, and every encouragement possible should now 1)0 given to farmers to use this pattern of wagou. (d) Tho'harness should always bo'carefully examined. (c) Prizes might with advantage bo given for t'ho most serviceable turnout— horses,' wagou, and harness.

Provisional regulations for the organisation of tho newly-formed Air Battalion have just been issued. Tho new unit is regarded ,as. one of. the most valuable means of obtaining information at' the disposal of tho commander of an army. : The .Air. Battalion Will, not, however, rc-j----placir other niraris.br acquiring informal' nB Hon, 'such as tho action of cavalry, . of tho three arms, of agents, etc., but' will '. be used in conjunction with such ser- ■. vices, being employed in tho work that can'bo undertaken by it to the greatest*. •.". advantage, and used cither to gain news of tho enemy and of his dispositions or to confirm tho accuracy or falseness of • tho information obtained from other sources. The moro important the scr- ■ vico the larger should bo (he number of vessels employed on it, and tho pri- . mary function of those vessels of the Air Battalion detailed for reconnaissanco'duly will bo to gain and transmit to tho Commander rcliablo information. Field units of tho Air Battalion will, as n rule, work under tho direct' orders of general headquarters as army troops, but vessels may oo detached to army or other head-quartors-as required,-' the principle being ' observed that tho Air Battalion shall be " so distributed that tho units may not only bo placed in the .best positions to obtain information, but to co-operate with tho other arms, and especially with the cavalry, in this all-important service. Tho manner in which reconnaissance is to bo carried out is to be left generally, to tho discretion of those who will actually undertake the duty. It is. considered that there is loss risk from positions bcJiiud rather than in front of the flank of tho enemy when seeking information. Tho . reason assigned is that tho enemy's dispositions will probably have been made with a view to concealment from obscrva- . tion from the front and flanks rather than from the rear, whilst for fear of ' damaging his own troops he may hesitate to firo on vessels sailing over tho rear of his columns. Vessels, also, when so placed, may escape firo through being mistaken for friendly aircraft. The presence of troops, if in tho open, oau be observed in clear weathcratan altitude of from 5000 to GOOO feet, within a radius of four to six miles from tho aeroplane or dirigible; when nearer the earth objects will berather more easily distinguished, but aro ' a shorter time in view, and tho area is restricted.

; For the transmission of intelligence from dirigibles, wireless telegraphy, signalling, or carrier-pigeons ran be used. There are difficulties in convoying messages from aeroplanes by signal, which can be overcome by tho use of a motorcar proceeding to some suitable locality whore a packet can be dropped as the machine passes overhead, and this can then be conveyed to the commander. Captivo balloons and kites should not bo used for any length of time within SOCIO yards of the enemy's artillery, and good cover is necessary for the balloon's descent. In normal conditions of ground and weather a radius of four to six miles can bo held under observation from a captive balloon or kite, whilst the effect, of artillery firo can be observed at a distance of 7000 yards, or even furfherin tho case of heavy artillery.

11l deciding whether it is advisablo to open fire at airships, the probability of escaping observation if fire is reserved is to be considered. Special observation parlies of men skilled in distinguishing i between friendly, and hostile craft might be dotiiilod to watch for the enemy's ma-, chines, and give warning to Oio artillery and machine-gun commanders, who will bo prepared to fire much in the same mamw as against moving targets on land. ' Dirigibles will be exposed to considerable danger from artillery fire when lower than .IJOOft. or within a rango of SOOO yards, and from rifle or machine-gun firo when at a height of less than 3500 ft. or at ranges under !!000 yards. Asainst aeroplanes it is thought that t.ho fire of field artillery will rarelv be effective at ■ISOOft. or at ;,. range of 4-OOD yards and upwards, whilst reasonable security from the fire of small-anus may be expected when ISOOflft. from the earth or at ranges of 2000 yards and over.' High speed, movements in curves, and frequent; changes of direction a.nd elevation aixi suggested as means to reduce (lie probability of ]>oing shot. Coneoaliii-ml in the clouds.' if possible, when approaching t.ho enemy is also another useful .hint.