FIELD GLASSES FOR THE FORCES

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 85, 8 October 1915, Page 2

FIELD GLASSES FOR THE FORCES

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — Would you please grant the privilege of placing before your readers the conclusions derived from a close observation extending from the departure of the Ist Expeditionary Force to the 7fch, of the relation of field glasses to the lives of the men leaving for the front. To do this graphically (much as it may be against one's grain), an -attempt is here made to set out the results in monetary terms ; for it is a travesty upon our mental training when it has to be admitted that expression in coin values cuts into our perceptions more than 'speaking in terms of human life does. The remedy is also stated in terms of money. Widespread publicity is sought because of the urgent'bearing of the subject upon the 5000 men in camp, and the many thousands to follow, and the non-recognition of the significance of the question. To arrive at a concrete result, let us take several statements : — 1. That a field force totally without field 'glasses, pitted against another adequately supplied, is, ipso facto, blind, and, therefore, faced with annihilation. 2. A field force less adequately equipped than its opposing force will suffer casualties pro rata. 3. A commanding officer's report from Gallipoli, that severe casualties occurred through lack of field glasses. 4. A non-com. 's statement that the safety of twelve .men under him was ensured by the use of binoculars (borrowed). 5. The inflicting of .forty casualties on the Turks at Suez through the knowledge obtained per field glasses — thus saving forty casualties on our side, inferentially. 6. The assent of competent officers to the deduction that field glasses in the hands of a lieutenant will save ten casualties, and in the hands of a noncom, four casualties, in this campaign. 7. That an average pension will be, say, £52 per annum. 8. And that this, ■capitalised, represents, at 5 per cent., £1040. 9. That there are at present in camp two companies each with about thirty n.co.'s, and that in each case not. more than three have .field glasses ; and that the same ratio prevails throughout. Say, however, that the ratio is ten to each thirty,, and that there are 300 n.co.'s in the force "next to go — that is, 200 without field glasses. _ Take, instead of four casualties, two lives lost per field glass lacking : 200 x 2 equals 400 men; 400 x £52 equals £20,800 pension value, payable yearly j £20,800 x 100 divided by 5' per cent, equals £418,000 capitalised value. Just for the want of the initial judicious expenditure of £400. And this applies to a fraction only Casualties arise from want of field ! glasses (1) in sniping, (2) advancing, (3) scouting, (4) spotting, (5) night sentry, ! (6) outpost work, (7) ascertaining friendly forces, (8) detecting foes, and in innumerable other phases of fighting. The question is for the State, a duty; for patriotic societies and mayors, a privileged opportunity. As to supply, eight diameter prism binoculars are the accepted standard. Of these there are practically none left in New Zealand. Export from Great Britain is prohibited. There is still a large supply of ordinary field and opera glasses. These range in price from 12s 6d to £6. Even the lowest priced pair doubles the visual efficiency of a combatantj and is usually better than expensive prisms for night work. Appeal is therefore made, first, to the non-com, and subaltern to secure some sort of glass; second, to mayors and patriotic societies and friends of those going to present glasses of any kind ; third, to dealers to sell these at reasonable prices, for they represent lives ; fourth, to those who possess glasses to donate them forthwith for the same reason. In fact, before the war is over, every available pair in. the Dominion should be in the hands of our fighting men. The National Reserve or the Patriotic Society will willingly undertake the disposal of any entrusted to them. — I am, etc., EX-VOLUNTEER. Wellington, 4th October.