SERVICE NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 6, 7 July 1906, Page 14

SERVICE NOTES.

(By "Scout.") Secretaries of volunteer corps and of rifle Hubs are invited to forward any items of interest regarding parades, shooting, or generai company news. In presenting the Field Artillery Challenge Shield to D Battery recently, Major G. Johnston, R.A., Artillery Staff Officer, modestly disclaimed sole praise for- initiating the competitive scheme in all its details, and paid a very handsome tributo to the battery's instructor, Master Gunner Richardson, R.A., from whom, he said, he had received many valuable suggestions. This generous recognition of the merits of their "pet" soldier brought all the gunners to their feet with rousing cheers. "I am always glad to bo in the company of past members of artillery corps, pecause I feel that they have done their share of the work, and are not to be classed with those who merely stand on the kerbstone to watch the troops going along and make cheap criticisms." — Master Gunner Richardson, R.A., at the D Battery shivoo. A letter is to hand from "Rattler." It will appear in next week's notes. "The modern landlord always thinks pf tho value of his land, and if troops requiro to manoeuvre over it , he wants to be paid." — Major Johnston, R.A., at D Battery smoker. \ Thero must be a subtle fascination about gunnery that keeps men at it year after year. Last week three D Battery men received 20-year-servico medals — namely, Lieut. Carter, QuartermasterSorgeant King, and Gunner Radford. In addition to these, Lieut. Petherick qualifies for 20-yoars'-service medal this nionth, while Major Moorhouso could, if he chose, long ago have obtained tho same. Then tho following active members now wear long-service medals: — Sergeant - Major Gibson, Bombardier Wickens, and Gunner Lawrence ; while among the Old Members' Association they are thickly scattered. Second Lieutenant C. B. Welsby, 4th Volunteer Battalion Royal Fusiliers (son of Mr. John Welsby, C.E., of Wellington), was presented to the King at St. James's Palace on 22nd May by Colonel V. Dunfree. I am informed that tho members of the No. 2 Company Royal Engineers in Wellington (better known as the Torpedo Corps) feel rather sore at their treatment in connection with tho lato Premier's funeral. Some of the men, after finishing guard duty at Government House, were assembled for the funeral and wore kept at it until late In the afternoon without dinner, tho result being that when they woro dismissed thoy Avcro fagged out and ravenously hungry. Another grievance is that in General Babington's note issued after .the funeral the Permanent Artillery •was commended for its services and ;tho No. 2 Company, which had had a much moro trying time, was not even mentioned. Three men of tho Royal New Zealand Artillery received last month tho meritorious service modal : No. 218, Quartermaster Sergeant Artificer Thomas Edward Bryce ; No. 170, QuartermasterSergeant Artificer William Mark Harris ) No. 167, Sorgeant James Conley. Tho Hawera Mounted Rilles have lately been in camp at Manaia, but unfavourable weather interfered witn training. A correspondent of the Hawera Star writes that tho lent ar.conimoilation is insufficient, and tho men havo hired from tho Manaia Horticultural Sodicty ono of its largo marqueca to bo used as a mess-tent and any other purpose required. It is a pity that the Defeneo Department could not see its way to allow the company another tent, which would save the men tho cost of hiring one. J Captain R. M. Collins, Secretary for Defenco in Australia, has been sent ovoi at a salary of £1000 a year to organise a Federal department in London, which will form the nucleus of £ho office and staff of a High Commissioner for the Commonwealth. He has chosen a suito of rooniß at 72, Victoria-street, S.W. Thero was once a mouse that liberatod a lion from captivity, but nowadays theso vermin fill oven moro useful posts. On 18th Muy last Submarines A 3 and A 12 arrived, at Chatham from Portsmouth, escorted by H.M.S. Seahorse. Al2 laboured very much after leaving Newhaveu tho previous day. An _oscare_of jzn&nlcne juis-, discovered yjut-..

side Newhaven by tho two white mice, the sentries of the lower region. Their' squeaking was heard by all the men round the steering-tower, • who promptly went below to stop the escape. They found the mice overcome by the gas, and the captain ordered them to be drowned to end their sufferings. The crew thus very narrowly escaped disaster. A writer in Blackwood's Magazine says that of the decorations in general which it is said are now lavished upon British ofncers,_ it is remarked that of all "it is certainly irue that to professional eyes they do not indicate that the men who wear them are necessarily remarkable for unusual courage or capacity, or' indeed that they have necessarily passed through many scenes of trial or danger. Fields of cloth-of-gold do often as much to decorate the breast with kaleidoscopic ribbons as fields of war. If a man has made a reputation for himself, it is perfectly well known to all whom it may concern, and he is no more highly > thought of because his tunic is covered with glittering trophies. If his reputation is doubtful, the ornaments that He wears are rather objects of derision than otherwise. Ma foi! C'est bien distingue, was Talleyrand's remark when Lord Castlereagh, alone among the assembled diplomatists at Vienna, appeared with an undecorated coat; and it may well be thought that this kind of distinction might, in a modified degree, be more wholesome and more befitting the dignity of the English army than the present custom of displaying marks of honour, which are no real guarantee that great desert exists, and certainly are often a fruitful source of jealousy, heartburning, and consequent depreciation of 'morale.'" Of all the circumstances, however, that have within the last half century been sapping the morale of the army, the author thinks that the system of confidential reports upon officers has been the most fatal in its effect. By it, "the British army has been placed very much in the position of a French lycee, in which -Ws are encouraged to tell tales about each other." The Service papers are beginning to exhibit a certain amount of impatience regarding Army reform, and not without reason (v/rites Lloyd's Weekly). Mr. Haldano has recently stated that the "War Office was proceeding deliberately," which is patent to all. There is no intention to embarrass the War Minister, but some indication is needed regarding the future of the militia, and a report of progress would be welcomed by the public. Nothing whatever has been done by the Government for the Senior Auxiliary Force, and the effect of protracted delay is beginning to react adversely on its commissioned ranks. It is known that Mr. Haldane has the best of expert advisers at his command, and we feel that ho would do well to consult them, with a view to the expected announcement of his 'specific proposals for the .reform of tho militia. It is no secret that the'difficulty which tho War Secretary is now experiencing in dealing with the organisation of his proposed new National Army is mainly due to the inability of his military advisers to evolve an efficient system whereby a sufficient reserve could be assured to fill establishments and provide for wastage in war. It is clear that a short-service army must be provided to furnish the necessary elements for immediate expansion in emergency. There is not the least reason why the militia should not be adapted to supply this need. Moreover, a re-territorialised militia could be made to operate as a most efficient recruiting agency for the army without in any way sacrificing its own numbers or efficiency. Through the localised militia young men "of the best character and class could be furnished as army recruits without difficulty. Regulations for competitive testg between squadrons and companies of regiments and battalions have been issued by the Defence Department. In respect to infantry marching and shooting some important' provisions are made. They are as follows : —Marching. —Company to march (?) 9 miles in marching order —namely, New Zealand service uniform, leggings or gaiters, overcoat, haversack (containing 4lb, representing day's rations), waterbottlo (filled), 30 rounds ball ammunition, and 51b weight, representing other 80 rounds. Route to be arranged so that march terminates at a rifle-range or suitable place for ball firing. Officers to carry field-glasses, weight of rations, field note-book, and revolver. Section commander not to carry ball ammunition, but an equivalent in weight. Time, 30 marks. Discipline on march, 30 marks. Condition of men on completion of march, 40 marks. Deductions during march: 10 marks will be. deducted for each man falling out and not rejoining; 5 marks deducted for each fall-out temporarily, unless leave granted ; incomplete marching order. Mounted Staff officer to ride with corps to award marks. Shooting. —At end of march the 30 rounds ball carried during march to be expended as follows : —Five volleys at 900, 800, or 700 yards (3 volleys by half companies, changed to 2 volleys by sections) at target representing gur and team of- formed infantry. Ten rounds while advancing by half companies extended 2 paces (5 rounds at 600 yards, 5 rounds at 500 yards) at targets representing heads and shoulders. Fifteen rounds advance as skirmishers snap-shooting (4 rounds, about 400 yards; 4 rounds, about 300 yards ; 7 rounds, about 200 yards) at disappearing and a nning targets. Targets to bo lowered at end of each stage to prevent being hit in a later stage. Marks, 3 1^ points for each hit; total, 100._ Under present conditions it would "be impossible to exercise companies on ground where unknown distances could be given, hence corps will probably requiro to uso their rifle-range for this. Other conditions concern judging distanco, entrenchments, drill and training, duties in camp and bivouac.