MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1336, 13 January 1912, Page 9

MILITARY NOTES.

(Edited Br Echblos.] , MOBILISING THE RESERVES. The infantry companies and cavalrysquadrons of the Austro-Hmigarian Array havo been provided with wire cuttors for destroying barbod-wiro obstacles. The infantry will shortly bo supplied, with explosives for lire demolition of railways, foot-bridges, walls, etc., in tbo field. Tbo French War Minister has dccroed that all dragoon, hussar, and chasseur regiments ot independent cavalry divisions will be aimed with tho new model lance, with hollow metal, shaft, formerly, only rear rank men of dr.v goon regiments of divisional cavalry wen armed with tlto lanee. The following is a brief description of the "louchi-pistole" or illuminating pistol, wlticli has recently becu introduced into tho German Army. The illuminating pistol has boon invented with tho object of lighting up adjacent ground in niglil fighting and. its use is recognised by army regulations. It is tued by the pioneers and discharges illuminating red and white cartridges, .which •burst into stars when fired ami light up the ground. Tho white-light cartridges light up tho ground in front and to find out if tho enemy is approaching, or is establishing himself in front of the position. A single cartridge burns from 8 lo 10 seconds and has a lighting radius of 200 yard?. The red-light cartridges ore used for signalling purposes, and for connecting various units. If the pistol is badly bandied or fired at too groat an angle, the position of the troops may lw shown up to the benefit of the. enemy. There is also a danger of the illuminating cartridges causing fires, by setting thatched roofs, crops, etc., alight. Tho latest idea in rifle sights is tbo "Cant Indicating Sight Disc," not yet on the market, which should be a great boon to rifle shots who aro at all inclined to cant tho rifle. It is impossible to see tho bull clearly unless the riilo is perfectly upright, provided, also, of course, that tho sight is set properly. Tho disc is easily attached to a 15.5.A. No. 8 orthoptio back-sight, and as easily adjusted. ' On tho subject of the excessive smoking of cigarettes the General Officer Commanding Northern Command in Groat Br-tain has. issued the following notice:— "Tho General Ofliocr Commanding-in-.Chief wishes the attention of officers called to the detrimental effect which tho increased prevalence of smoking, especially cigarette tmoking, is having on the health of the army, inoro particularly on that of the young soldier. He thinks'that improvement will be best obtained by introducing a change of view in tho' matter among the men themselves by bringing clearly lo their notice the resultant evils of the practice, and that in this way the. necessity for publishing any orders restriding cigarette smoking may bo avoided. Tho moderate use of tobacco is not harmful, but v.'lien carried to oxcoss ii; is very injurious—(l) lo tho heart, causing irregularity and p.-ilpitation, which is a lrequent causse ot' rejection in the medical examination before enlistment; (2) to the sight, interfering .with successful shooting; and (3j to the digestion. Cheap cigarettes are tho woivt (and most popular) iorm of smoking. Tho best thin.g to smoke is a clcan pipe and a mild tobacco. Nobody, pliould smoko before breakfast under any circumstances. Tho smoking" of cigarettes is tho cause of that cough flint ib so constantly heard in the barrackroom in tbo early morning."

The Olympic Bailies, which will be held at Stockholm, Sweden, from June 29 to July. 22 of this year, will include a week of shooting competitions. The'maximum number of competitors from each nation is twelve in each of the individual comnetitions, and ono team in each of the team shoots. In this individual events, tlio first prize is n gold Olympic medal; second, silver Olympic medal j third, bronze Olympic medal. There are throe prizes in the team event—first, diploma to the winning team, and silver-gift Olympic medal to each member of the team; second, silver Olympic, medal, to each member of tho team; third tironzo Olympic medal to each member of the team. In tho Army l-iile-shootiiiß section, tho national military weapon, of each country, .according to tho latest adopted model, without any alteration or addition, is allowed. The miniature rifle section comprises ' teaiu and individual shoots at 25 and 50 metres; any brcecliloading 'rifle, with any sights except telescopic. If i tho team shoot at 25 metres, a disappearing target, reduced whole figure, 32 centimetres high, and divided into decimal zones, will be used. It will appear for three seconds, with fivo seconds interval between each appearance. In the team shoot at 50 metres, the target is white, with black bull's-eye. Revolver and pistol shooting for teams and individuals, at 30 and 50 metres, clay-bird shooting, and running deer .shooting, conclude tho list of events.

With a view to securing Hi© speedier arrival of regular reservists at tho various centres in the event of tinn being ordered, an important circular has recently been issued by the Jlntisk Army Council. For this purpose instructions to join, a railway warrant, and a. cash order for three shillings, available on mobilisation only, will, in future, bt> attached to the identity certificate issued io all regular reservists on transfer to the Reserve, and similar revised identity certificates will bo issued to all men now in tho Army Reserve. As soon as tho regular reservist sees a poster calliiip: out the Army Reserve for a general mobilisation, or iiears that such a poster has been put up, or learns from tlio newspapers that.a general mobilisation has been otdered, the regular reservist will, without waiting for further orders, take his identity certificate to the nearest Post Oflico (money order office) and draw the three shillings advance of pay on the cash order, and then go to the nearest or most convenient, railway station or steamboat office, and, in exchango for tho railway \ warrant, obtain a ticket to the'place of joining shown on his identity certificate; lie will then proceed to his place of joining without dclav, and report himself to the military authorities theri. .•It is understood that the mobilisntion regulations lor the New Zealand Forces are also being revised, in what direction, however, is not yet disclosed.

Mr. A. Or. Kickarbv, a well-known miniature rillOmiui in England, in a recent interview, staled that ho literally "tumbled" into riile shooting. "Jliul it not been for tho fact that I won tlio first shoot I took part in, I might: have continued spending my spare lime at Jawn tennis and football, which wore my ■ favourite games until I commenced rifle shooting. Previous to my first: competition shoot, in which 1 made a score of !)(> out of 105 (N.K.A. scoring), and defeated several experienced shots, 1 had only onco fired a rillo, so that I am quite entitled to stale that [ 'tumbled' into it." ."To what do you attribute your success ?''• "Chiefly berav.::o 1 havo practised incessantly. Tako the scores of any club'at the beginning of a season and compnro (hem with those made at the latter end, and yon will see Ihnt. tho average scores arc much higher, y.-liicli is duo entirely' to practice. 'Keep pegging away' is a motto for ail \v»uld-bo rifle shots to remember, «is many a competition lias been lo.st through'not sticking to it. The man on top might comd down with .a run, and if one has not been 'pegging awav' the elm,nee has gone. I've had some, and havo felt like kicking myself for not hanging on when the'winning score has bwii published, Carelessness accounts for manv a bad score. If you were a rillo shot, anil noticed tho number of times that littlo feeling, tempting you to let a shot go in a trusfc-to-luck sort of a slvle, vou would | really be surprised. Ask the host' of shots, and they will all tell you-the same. It is absolutely essential tliat you make Biird'of your aim before you squeeze."