THE HOTCHKISS BATTERY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11956, 1 February 1901, Page 3

THE HOTCHKISS BATTERY.

"WITH CAPTAIN SMITH. Captain iimitb, of the College Rifles, who went to South Africa, with the Ilotehkiss Battery contingent, gave a- interesting intorview to a representative of the Christchurch Press. Referring to the press correspondents, Captain Smith, while recognising that they had to emphasise the doings of the New Zealand contingents, considers they might havo been less fulsome in their references to the doughty deeds of valour performed by the members of the contingents. There is no doubt, Captain Smith says, that the conditions ruling in South African warfare made the campaign one in which the' colonial contingents could and did shine; and he firmly believes, from his own knowledge and expen.fm-u with the Imperial troops, that tho New Zealanoers wcro undoubtedly the best colonial troops in South Africa, hut to make this an opportunity to belittle the EngM "Tommy arouses his ire. And this brought him to the second point on which ho holds no undecided opiui-m. At Hlmvrood camp, on liis reluvn, s'.'iuc-'jne f.Stied him: , " Thd ' Tommies' are no good, are tii?v'_ Captain Smith had not command f SUlilcient polite expressions with which to repel the insinuation. He speaks highly and t-n thusiastically of the maguifieient bravory discipline of tho Imperial troops. _ And he speaks from knowledge and experienco, having, after tho members of the battery joinin? the combined contingents under Lieu-tenant-colonel Robin, been attached to the Scottish Borderers, and having previously, with the battery, co-operated with other English regiments, and also having witnessed the conduct of the British soldier in action. Ho graphically described how a body of infantry steadily, majestically, and irresistibly continues its advance across an area amidst a perfect hail of bullets—men falling right ;-ml left, and the rear ranks quietly taking Hit places of the fallen and marching forward as if unconscious of the fate of their fellows, or that a similar one might be theirs. And then to be asked if the Tommies were no good! No wonder his indignation is aroused, and if words aiid looks could have killed, his questioner would possibly now be attending his own funeral! Although an Irishman "to the backbone," Captain Smith says that the Scottish Brigade was his love, and lie never tires of singing its praises. Tho only tiling is that he eaniict say that he fully appreciates the pipe 3, although he' retains a very lively and live-long recollection of the lament played by the pipes of the Scottish Borderers and Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders at a never-to-be-for-gotten time at Zi]lcoto's Nek, near Pretoria, when this brigade buried 39 dead. The wail of the pipe? and the sobs of sorrow were too much for him. Referring to t'.ie Hotchkiss Battery, Captain Smith stated that after they got the guns it was six weeks beforo they got the equipment. Major Yorsioim, of the Third Poonah Horse, and a brother of the officer commanding the Black Watch, commanded tlie battery, and proved himself a good mail. The guns were tip-top, but tho packs were killing; he could imagine no better guns for infantry, or for a few days' work with well-fed and well-rarcd-for hora.s, but for the time (a very rough one) each horse had to carry about 3001b weight on his back. This was far too much, and this detail is one that requires alteration. The guns are not sighted for as long a range as Maxims are, but to the extent of their range they wore absolutely accurate. They are sighted to 2000 yards, but they are simply diabolical at 1600 yards. There is no quiver of the guns, and once you have got the range they keep oil it, and can, lie thinks, in reepect of range, hold their own with any machine gun. The first occasion the battery went into j action was at Zand River, " but," saicl Captain Smith, " what the damage we did was [ I don't know. We were shelled in return by a Boer Creusofc gun. Whether we killed thousands of Boers, I cannot tell." With General French the battery reached Kroonstad hours before any colonials reached that place. Before reaching the Valch Biver tho battery had been tearing along for eight, days, and in that time lost over 30 out of their 70 horses. They got into action there, and held an important position. The battery camped nortli of Kroonstad, and were tiiere transferred to Hutton's Brigade, and were associated with Colonel Pilchcr's command. Hero they met the New Zcalanders, and for several days took part in operations around Johannesburg, in attempting to intercept retreating Boer convoys. On one occasion they failed to do this bceausc they turned inwards too soon. Had they been allowed, as Major Yorstoun wished, to take a wider circle they would have accomplished the capture of I the waggons. At the Elip River, two days previous to the capture of Johannesburg, the battery was in action when they escorted tho Horse Artillery. Boer shells were dropping all around, but, fortunately, the average Boer shell does not burst. " That was my first- experience of the Horse Artillery," said Captain Smith, " and it made me feel proud that I was a human being, and that I belonged to the same breed as these Horse Artillerymen. The quartermaster had one of his arms shot off; the corporal camo forward and took up tho quartermaster's duty as if unaware of anything out of the ordinary having happened." The second day o( tho fight General Hamilton's brigade arrived, and the battery held a kopje with the object of preventing tho Boers ! passing from the right to tho left front. After ■ taking part in operations round Johannes- | burg, the battery went on to Pretoria, where ' nearly 20 men belonging to tho battery joined I the police or sought other semi-civilian positions, or positions on the railway staff, the remainder joining the combined Now Zealand contingents under Lioutenan't-colp-nel Robin. Shortly afterwards Captain Smith interviewed tho assistant-adjutaut- ! general at Pretoria, who gave him his choice •to join any force or regiment. Captain Smith ; decided on the Scottish Borderers, and Colonel ! Godfray, now adjutant-general in the Transvaal, made Captain Smith his staff officer. Subsequently tho force went from Pretoria to Balmoral, to tho north-east, and Uience back to Rustcnburg, to chase Do Wet, to the north-east of Zeerust, With Colonel Kckewich's force of 300 men, they fought engagement with the " Flying Dutchmen" at i Oliphant's Nek; De Wet having two or three | thousand men and six guns. The Boers hold ! out till 4- o'clock in the morning, and then ! disappeared with tho exception of a rear I guard of 400 men, who kept Hamilton s ' division employed till 110011 iu getting through. ! Of De Wet, Captain Smith records that one ! Imperial officer said that it would pay the i British Government to engago him (Uo Wet) as a lecturer on tactics in place of their present experts on tho subject. "You oan't catch him, he remarked, so you had better buy him." The Scottish Borderers were next despatched to Warm Baths, north of Pretoria, then to Belfast. Here Captain Smith had r I spell, and was sent to Pretoria. He had several I (rood offers, but at this time a- terrain arrived ! from the Governor of New Zealand asking ! that Captain Smith should return to the j colonv, as his services were required. Captain Smith bade farewell to the Scottish ! Borderers at Pretoria, and left Capetown on j December 13 for New Zealand. Colonel Godfray, before Captain Smith left, offeied ► him the position of Provost-marshal of Pre- ! toria—which practically meant that he would have been in command of Pretoria civilly. Of course Captain Smith was too much m love with New Zealand to accept, and de- - elined the flattering oiler. , | Captain Smith had, whilst with Hamilton 3 ' division, a. varied experience of all j chiefly as rear or advanced guards. 'Y*,' miration for the " cow g" ns > as , e . f ' l ' sin guns are known in South Africa, is unbounded, their long and accurate ranfie having on two or three occasions pulled them out of difficulties. Captain Smith, in a diffident manner, tlnnW that it would be a national disaster lo alitv in one whit the Royal Horse Artillery, who are as perfcct as possible, but that the Field ' Artillery might sacrifice n litt'einobiiky to <ret a longer range. In this direction Elswick guns seem to have been most successful, ; they being almost, if not quite, a-a mobile us | the Field Artillery, whilst they can hurst I shrapnel with terrible accuracy at 7200 yds, and common shell at 12,000. These guns are, however, expensive, and still subject to improvement. Captain Smith is neves tirtd - of extolling the praises that the New Zealanders have won from their Imperial com- - rades in arms.