A DANGER TO SYDNEY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7023, 11 January 1910, Page 5

A DANGER TO SYDNEY.

WEAKNESS AT NORTH HEAD. LORD KITCHENER "INSPECTS THE DEFENCES. SEARCHLIGHTS FAIL TO ACT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received January 10, 5.15 p.m.) fci'DNlSr, January 10. Lord Kitchener's inspection of Sydney's defences included a trip round the harbour by night to see the working of the electric searchlights at the various forts. Accompanied by his staff and. the heads of the Commonwealth forces, the Field-Marshal embarked on board a steamer and made the trip, but, for j some unexplained reason, the lights failed to work. An inquiry into tho matter will bo held. . It is rumoured that when Lord Kitchener was inspecting the harbour defences he asked why there was no fort on North Head, and was informed it would bo so isolated from the rest of the defences that it could bo easily cut off and taken and its guns turned against Sydney. Lord •Kitchener is said to have replied: "If an enemy could land and take the fort ho could also land if there wore no fort there, bring guns ashore, and turn thorn on to Sydney." VISIT TO LITHGOW. TO INSPECT SMALL ARMS FACTORY SITE. (Received January 10, 9.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 10. Lord Kitchener left to-day for Lithgow, where ho inspects tho site of tho Commonwealth small • arms factory. From there he proceeds, via Bathurst, 'to Melbourne. In saying farewell to the authorities here, Lord Kitchener expressed himself as highly pleased with his visit. QUEENSLAND MANCEDTKES A DAY IN THE FIELD WITH *'K. OF K." The special correspondent of the Sydney ''Daily Telegraph," writing of tho Queensland manoeuvres held on January 3rd, says:— Lord Kitchener sprang his surprise on the military staff a little before midnight, and as a result tho mem oi all arms had n, very hard day's work. ■ The scheme laid down by Lord Ivitclwrnor was not a difficult one. Apparently the intention was 'to test tlie mobility of the force and the I'esourcefillness of the leaders rather than the actual tactical knowledge of those in command. It was laid down that a hostile fleet attacking Brisbane was Landing troops at Cleveland, twenty mules away from tho camp, and intended marching on Brisbane, and en route attacking Lytton Fort in the rear. The special idea upon which the orders for the operation had to he framed was that the Light Horse Brigade should secure and hold Capalata, a township ten miles away, and then recprinioitrc the roads east and south, and thus protect Brisbane. The infantry brigade irad to proceed alxmt ten. miles out to the bridge over Tingalpa Creek aiid occupy a position on high ground thereabout, extending over a frontage of three males. The position was to be occupied not later than 8 o'clock this monning. Tho Light Horse was entrusted with the protection of the north flank, and their operations were also to extend ten miles beyond tho position. T "'° squadrons of Light Horse, four companies pt infantry, mwl two guns wore held in reserve* alxmt two miles in the rear, and the Armv Medical Corps established a dressing station in a good position, close by, at the junction ot three roads. A SPECIAL SCHEME.

The knowledge that a special scheme was to tx» issued soon spread round camp on Sunday oveming, but beyend making preliminary arrangements for tlio issue of ration.* to l>o carried by lire men in their haversacks, nothing could bo done until the Field-Marshal's wishes wore made known, and the an'tjciiiation of an early alarm was an effective bar to substantial rest. Only a few, indeed, of those in responsible positions attempted to go to bed. The commandant and his staff were anxiously thinking out every possible form of attack or defence that" they might possibly be called upon to ovolv'e, and it was certainly a.relief whan the messenger at last arrived with the instructions and the problem was found to be so comparatively simple as it mas. It was tlxm. midnight, and Colonel Lyster at once called a conference of his brigade battalion commanders and issued' march orders under which the division was to be roused at 2 a.m. .and to march at 3 a.m. NOT A DIFFICULT TASK.

But Lord Kitchener either did not want to set a difficult task or else had no information of previous schemes for the defence of Lyttou and Brisbane. All the old hands who have fought the battle of Brisba.no in its southern defences knew every inch of the excellent road, and every tree and shady nook in the ooaist scrub which covers the ground round about Ca.pala.ba and Tingalp.i Creels, and they settled down to the tjisn like veterans fighting a second battle on a familiar battleground. But to the onlooker there were details in the movement which reflected great credit upon the Queensland troops, showed their great improvement in the, last few years, and made many officers regret "that Lord Kitchener himself was not at the Lyfcton camp to see them start on their night inarch an. hour and a half before daylight this \ morning. Certainly they had been well warned—what soldiers are not warned on the ovo of great happenings But they fell in. when the alarm sounded, gave and received and acted_ upon orders with such splendid discipline as to provoke remark. THE MARCH OUT. The march out was without incident. The roads were good for at least ton miles, and daylight broke an hour after leaving camp. Perhaps the ranks were not so (regularly kept dining the hours of darkness as they were when the division marched back to camp in daylight under the critical Kitchener eye; but night marchin?) is one of the most trying tests tuat can. be applied to the discipline of a citizen army—or, for that matter, any* army. Incidentally, it may bo mentioned that it is «n •.■xnetu> «1? dom practised,' by Australian Irosiv;, and experiments that t»-re made, notably near Sydney and Melbourne and at Ballarat, were' such distinct failures Bs to warrant further iraim-n^.

Tito Tecoimoitri-iv; aiul patrolling that were necessary before the position conM bo occupied "iioccs-sarily took up some timo; but, finally, the troops were all disposed of half-im-hour before General Haad put in an appearance, and a good

hour before Lord ICCieh&ue*' 'earns*io ea» how llio sum he h-C ;.:'■ Ji'id bwsu worked out. ;' i

Then came a critic-: examination anil careful inquiry bj jxird Kitchener to iii.il Unit every man knew the job' for which ho was marked. What tho result of the inquiry va* is best known] to Lord Kitchener hiuiirfjf and his staff, and they do not tell; but later in tW forenoon when the inspection was oven' and the chief had returned to tcrwru' to inspect (he cadets. Colonel Ljster* looked happy enough to indicate that dissatisfaction, had not "been expressed. A RUSH IN MOTOB, CARS. ■ - After the cadet inspection came mi-] other rush in motor oars from. Brisbane* to \Vynmuu, and then a quick chainjs! from car to horseback; but the Honei journey wa.s well paid for by the* mags-' uificout showing, the men made as tirey-i marched along the Manley ro.td «m; (heir way to Lytton. Tho FieSct! Marshal and his staff halted ab 1 the roadside U milo from Wynirunj,! and took the salutes of tho reGi-j mauts and corps as they passed in column of route. His face was absolutely, devoid of indications of his feelings; but;' when it is borne in mind that tho light horse had probably covered forty miles of conn try and tlw> ru.ftvu.try moa-0 than! half that distance, he would have been. ( harder than oven the Kitchener of tradition if he had not admired their steadiness, the swinging step of their march,, the generally regular eloi>o of their 1 , rifle?, and the fine physique of ,tho men-; most of them young and very athletic—j as they rattled past him after their fifteen hours of -strenuous and eonstiinioua duty in a by no means cool atmosphere J The Infantry, and especially the WideV Bay reginvoiit, made a display of which) regular troops would have had am occa-' fiion. to be ashamed, and tho Light Horeocommanded admiration also. The nifirri end horses were a typical fhrlitiiig forncJ —they looked right up to all the tradi-' tions they brought back with them from! !jauth Africa. The horses were cetrtainlyj irregular in size and quality aind. eame-i what fagged. If tho equipment had only) been what it should lie, tho three rojri-! menis would have stood for all that was admirable among mounted. troops. So with other regiments and corps.' ■.;',.

A HIGH STANDARD SET. '»''- v ';! Queensland excelled itself and eot a) ! ; standard which, tho other States -nall'l ■ ';' have a hard task to excel. Thoro was) ■;; in the column a little body of about a) dozen stalwart young men mouratedon good .' horses, wearing a serviceable -working uni- '/'> form of shirt ami pants, aind each mani . ~ with *a South African ribbon on his breastj J ;; They wero representative of the Leajnio! of Scouts, apparently an adult evoiu.-, » ticiv of (ho Boy Scout movement, anil' '; n serviceable ono; but still not a mill-' ; tary force, and, therefore, not eaitiltio&l ; to a pliico in such a fonco as that und<sr>, inspection at tho time. Lord Kitchener,- ; ; however, spotted tho.ro, sent for themj , and eallod them back. Ho paid ihom a! ':) compliment which might - equally, wollj "; have been paid with moro justification] ■ to any ono of tho squadrons Uiat had* ■.'"•■■,; marched past a few minutes before. Ho :.: spoko to thorn of thoir organisation-i-j they were mot enrolled under the Defemcft' ' Act, they told him, and they ballot . f oi> ; admission to thoir ranks; thoy tako lions ''■:''% of _ the responsibilities of citizen Koldiei-J ship—and, attracted, by their war scrvioa ~ ribbons, hio referred to South. AirioaJ * aud told them tlioy had dome hai-d work, ' there. "You' will remember that, no'--.| doubt," ho added, as ho turned his horswj ;i away and awaited tho arrival of thoj r.i thou approaching infantry brigade. It! i was a (small incident. But it made a l ■'. \j distinction against thlo Light Honse, ! ': which, was jealously noticed—it gavo a J distinction, to an irresponsible body of ' ; men who, if their ardour is to bo di*.' played in tiho defame© of their country; > might well show it by conforming to , \ the Jaw of their country and joining tho light Horse rcgiuiejits authorised under.! '' the establishment, and conforming to tli»! : military regulations. That, however, is a) * matter for Lord Kitchener, to think! ~ about, and a subject wliioh should malco: : a Military Board pause to think whythe military service is not sufficiently, attractive to secure tho inclusion of micX* ■ excellent maiteria 1 -