MILITARY TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13889, 25 October 1905, Page 4

MILITARY TOPICS.

REGENERATION OF MANCHURIA. Among other measures for the regeneration of Manchuria adopted by General Oyama is the 4 quartering of Japanese soldiers in almost every native house throughout the thousands of square miles of territory now held by the Mikado’s men. These soldiers set the population an example of personal cleanliness and order that is highly beneficial. The opportunity for personal observation of this new manner of life is already benefiting the Chinese, who are beginning to copy the habits of their guests. Hygienic methods have been introduced into the villages, the streets are cleaned regularly, public amusements have been inaugurated, public gardens and parks Ijiave been established, and those already existing improved. Large numbers of Manchurians have been taken into th© service of the Postal Department, and mails are now regularly distributed. This latter innovation is a landmark in th© social development of Manchuria. A FREE AND OPEN SEA. It is strange that in “ Nelson’s year’’ there should be any talk of closing the Baltic. For his most picturesque battle at Copenhagen in 1801 was fought and won to dissipate the idea that Denmark, or any other Northern Power, could seal the Baltic to the English Fleet. The lesson then administered had, indeed, to be repeated six years later, after Nelson’s death, when Copenhagen was bombarded and the Danish fleet taken in pledge till peace should come. But Nelson had shown once for all that the Baltic must be for England a free and open sea. ENGLAND AND GERMANY. All the omens go to show that the present relations between the Courts of London and Berlin, or, to be strictly accurate, between King Edward and Kaiser William, are under the strain of a certain amount of hitch (wrote a correspondent of the London “ Daily Chronicle” on August 17). It is difficult to say why, but the, fact appeal's to be certain. The King’s passage through German territory without meeting the Kaiser is decidedly unusual, though the omission may be repaired, as it is lihqly to bo,' on his Majesty’s

return journey. The omission of th'4 King to meet the Kaiser on hih way through Germany to Marionbad is all the more striking in view of his interview at Gmunden with his cousin of Cumberland, who, as the irreconcilable protester against the events of 1866, remains personally opposed to the German Emperor and all his ways- -Th* kingdom- of Hanover is now hopelessly beyond th©-reach of the Duke of Cumberland —who is rated in the “ Aim anach de Gotha” as a Prince Royal ana Peer of Great Britain and Ireland, ? Garter Knight and all the rest of it—« but it is still within his power to suo« coed to the throne of. Brunswick on certain conditions, which he has hither* to refused to accept. The heir to th* thrones of Hanover and . Brunswick—who married a , sister of Queen Alexandra—wears spectacles, and has the look of a pugilist—a rare enough combination. . BY WHOSE INVITATION? There continues, to be greater conflict of statement than ever as to the initiative to the Imperial meeting in the Baltic, Paris and St Petersburg being pitted against Berlin (remarks a Home journal). In the Russian capital they argue that this initiative cam© from the Kaiser, with the object of helping to save the Czar’s face, while the boulevard writers accept the same view, bui with a different object—that of representing the Kaiser in the light of a meddler and a muddler of the FrancoBussjan alliance, or as much of it as there is now left. The Berlin journalists are unanimous in declaring that the invitation came from the Czar. “AT SOUND OP DRUM.” We are apt to lose sight of some of the great deeds don© by British infantry. On August 1, 1759, th© English, Hessian and Hanoverian allies,' under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, fought the battle of Mindoh, against th* French Army, under Marshal de Contades. The French were defeated.- The r> emery of Minden should be kept fresh with Britishers, for one gloriou? incident of the fray. Ten battalions ol our stupidly courageous and invincible' infantry—mistaking the order v“ at sound of drum” for “by sound of drum ” —positively charged and overthrew three divisions of French cavalry —a feat unparalleled in all warfare The regiments which fought at Minder as the allies of Frederick the Great in the Seven Years War, commemorate the day by Wearing roses, because on their way to the front they tramped through several flower gardens, and, plucking the roses therein, stuck them in their caps. SHOULD SOLDIERS SWIM? , When visiting Ireland recently, (A see the manoeuvres of the Third Cavalry Brigade (wrote “ Lounger ” in a rebent number of the “Military Mail”) I was greatly interested to note the large proportion of men who- were expert swimmers. In the German Army, and, I fancy, in the Austrian as well, every cavalry soldier is taught swimming as soon as he joins the Service, and this should be the case in England. Further, I hold that every soldier, and every civilian, too, for the matter of that, should be taught to swum, just - as he is taught to walk or to pat his meals. There are many occlusions .in every war when a knowledge of swimming is of the greatest value, and 1 hesitate to say how many mien were drowned in the South African spruits through their inability to swim. Personally I have’ long advocated the award of a small extra amount weekly to every man in the Service who took the trouble to learn to swim, and I by no means despair of this coming to pass even yet*