MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1234, 16 September 1911, Page 9

MILITARY NOTES.

lEdited Br Echelon.] , IMPERIAL DEFENCE CONFERENCE THE KILT IS AUSTRALIA. The abolition of the office of "Generalissimo," held by the Vice-President of tho "Conseil Supcricur do Guerre," in tlio French Army, and tho appointment in its placo of a chief of the General Army Stalf, responsible for preparations for war, and with scaled orders appointing; tho holder commander-in-chief of tho wholo army iu tho field of war is a real military reform iu France, and has duly been noted by Germany (states "Mars," in tho "Military Mail"). The new chief, General Joll're, is calm and reserved, and holds a high reputation as «i tncticiau ia French military circlcs.

Tho Australian Defence Minister hat lately had lo deal with an agitation for Hie retention of Iho kilt. Replying to a deputation of "sons of Iho heather," lie remarked that ho had to decide two questions—<>no as to what was proposed ior tho Scottish and Irish regiment*, and the other as to whether the kilt was to bo retained. If tha kilt wire retained as tho uniform recognised and supplied by tho Department, othor regiments would have Iho right to similar distinctive dresses. The Government's object was to provide a recognised Australian uniform, one that would kindle in tho Australian youth such feelings towards Australia as hud been expressed towards Scotland by the speakers. _ They would respect that desire tor a strong national spirit. The Government believed that could lx>st bo done by teaching the Australian youth that ho had a duty to his country, and that the uniform he woro was typical of tho country ho served. So it was desired to have one- distinctive type of uniform worn by the' forces throughout Australia. If regiments desired to retain at, (heir own expense special uniform for special occasions ho would not object, lint Uiey should not ask the Government to provide it. The Australian uniform provided to the forces had been tested by experience, and had been devised by soldic-rs and doctors us that meeting health and service, requirements, and as being attractive. Further, defence expenditure, was going ahead by leaps and bounds. This year nearly .£2,-. 000,000 would 1» required for the military forces alone. The Australian uniform cost £2 10s., and tho Scottish about ,£SS or £10. Tho difl'orencc was JEGOOO per battalion, or .£'30,000 for the- si\ battalions that would bo established in Australia. And as other regiments would liavo to get tho samo consideration (he full expense would bo enormous without adding to the effectiveness.

A report dealing with (ho deliberations of the Imperial Conference oh thi> sub. ject of Imperial Defence has been issued us a Parliamentary' paper. The report makes it clear that both on naval and military lines there will bo in future close co-operation in time of war, between the homo and oversea forces. So far as tho Army is concerned, the most important fact of tho report deals with tho functions of tho Inspector-General of tho Oversea Forces, and of the Imperial General Stuff. On the latter point the Chief of tho Start submitted a report in which ho staled:

' "The need of a General Staff, selected from tho forces of the Kmpirc as a whole, was affirmed by the Imperial Conference .which met in London in ISO 7, and it was decided that the Chief of thn General Staff should put: forward dciinito proposals to give effect to the rcsoliitifnia of tho conference on this subject. T'.inso proposals were generally accepted by. the Governments concerned, early in tho following year, and the actual formation of un Imperial General Staff wns then taken in hand. The Imperial General Staff lias, therefore, been scarcely two years in existence. In such a short period it would not bo reasonable to look for very great progress. Ths General Staff of tin- Ger. man Army in its present form had been in existence for over half a century before its.value was proved to tho world in ISGB and 1870. Tho General Staff of the Japanese Army was over twenty-five years old before tho recent campaign in Manchuria began. Notwithstanding its extreme youth in its present form, it may fairly 1)0 claimed that considerable progress has been made by the Imperial General Staff in its two. years of existence, an will bo soon from tho following short account of what has been done. As soon as thn formation of tho Imperial General Staff: was seriously taken in hand it was found that moro definite agreement on various points was required, and accordingly a paper on the detailed arrangement uf loans, attachments, and interchanges of and botween officers of the Regular Army and officers of the Oversea Dominions, was drawn up under tho orders of the Chief of the Impelial General Staff in 1910, and was forwarded through the Colonial Otiieo for the consideration of the various Governments concerned. Tho proposals contained in that paper have been accepted in principle by Canada and New Zealand. Australia has not yet replied, and the Government of the Union of South Africa, have slated t'iat they are not in position to enter into any engagement at present."

As to the duties of th? InspectorGeneral of \A\6 Overseas Forces, tho report says:—"ln considering arrangements tor the inspection of tho forces of. tho Rclf-gnrcrnhig Dominions, it is understood that such inspection can only take place cu tho invitation of tho Governments concerned. In the went of the Government of a self-governing Dominion desiring that its forces 'should Iμ inspected, the Army Council will be prepared to make the necessary arrangements for tho inspection to bo carried out by the In-spector-General of tho Oversea Forces. In. such cases tho duties- of tho InspectorGeneral would be as follow:—

"lie must form a judgment on (lie efficiency of officers and men, on the handling of traps, on the standard and system of training, on the suitability of equipment, and generally on all that ai'fects the readiness of tho forces for war." The- Inspector-Central would also l:o charged with the duty of making such recommendations as ho may consider necessary, and of acquainting tho Minister of Defence with the state of the forces of the Dominion, concerned. .The object cf an inspection is to ascertain the results achieved by the officer responsible for the efficiency of the unit or body of troops concerned. It- is the duty of an. inspecting officer to bring omissions and defects to notice, but this should be done without fettering tho. initiative or trenching on the responsibility of tho Commanding Officer in .regard, to the training; of his ' men. Unless specially nsked to do so by'(no Government of a Dominion, it would not be the duty of tho Inspector-General to deal with questions of military policy, war organisations, schemes .of local defonce, the system of education of officers, or similar mailers on which the Local Headquarters Section of tho Imperial General StalT are responsible for advising their respective Governments. On tho question of the relationship between the Chief of the Imperial General Stalf and the chiefs of the local sections, and the'best method of keeping in touch with them, the report states:—

"The necessity for sonic personal intercourse between central and local sections' has been left. "Willi a view (o Hireling this requirement the Chief of the Imperial General Staff is now in touch with (ho chiefs of local sections by means of a direct system of semi-official correspondence on subjects, such as routine and training, on which direct correspondence has boon approved by the Governments concerned. But the report added, it would appear, that the further develop ment which is s<. , <&ssont.ial must be largely dependent upon the formation at headquarters of a Dominion section on tho lines suggested in the memorandum of August, 1910, on the subject of loans, nttnchment.s; and inU-rchailpos. The ronimillco accepted the foregoing siatewiit, and expressed their satisfaction «t tho progress that has been made." A memorandum on examinations for the promotion of officers of tho pMuuiiient forces of the Dominions was laid before the committee by tho General Staff, giving n short history of how the overstas Dominions have gradually adopted the kuii« examinations as those laid down for officers of the British Kcgular Army.