THE DEFENCE FORGES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14382, 27 November 1908, Page 12

THE DEFENCE FORGES.

Br Sentry.

[Items of interest concerning corps (town and.country), shooting, and defence matters generally will be accepted. Copy, addressed to " Sentry," should be in hand by noon on Thursday.] Captain. Gard'ner, R.N.Z.A., and Lieutenant Oheeney, staff oflicer to the In-spector-gen&ral, will undergo examination, in Duhodin from November 30 to December 3. The following officers will sit for examination on December 2:—At Dunedin: Major il'Culileugh (Boys' High 'School Cadets), Captain ifVedrio (Dunedin Navals), Capta.iu Doddj (Fort Chalmers Navafe), Captain Waite (Dunedin Engineer Cadets), Lieutenants Doull (Dunedin Navails), Crawford (l J oi Chalmers Navajs), Phillips (Tuapeka 'Mounteds), Pauiin (Tuapoka Mounteds), Thorns (Oyelo Corps), Cioldonstedt (Caversham Rifles. At Oamaru: Lieutenant. Orlx'll, Swindley, and Jenkins (N.0.M.R.). At Core: Lieutenant Heenan (Mataura , Lieutenant 0, G. White, of; tho Highland Rifles, has. arranged a match for (his afternoon between a team 'of "Old Boys" and the present High School Cadets. The Cadets have a rather lough proposition in the following team of "Old Hoys Colonel li. R. Smith, Captains I'roudloot and M'Arn, Messrs Grcenshwle, White, M'Caw, \Vood, and Baron. The ranges arc. 200 and 500 yards; seven shots and a compulsory sighter at each raingc. It. snouid be very interesting to friends of tho school lo see some boya of 40 years 'of age competing with the 1 present boys. The "Old Boys" team covers just 40 years of iho school's history—lß6s (Colonel Smith) to 1905 (Messrs Wood awl M'Caw). Tho Dunedin City Ciiiards, having completed their classifying, will open, the shooting season on. Satuitlay, when, half company and section competitions will be held. Memliors aro invited to bring their lady friends, for whom a special match has been arranged, five shots and one sighter at 200 yawls. Afterncon, tea will be provided, and tile Garrison Band has consented to attend and enliven the afternoon with music. The members of the band will also have a compeiafici), seven shots at 500 yards. Suitable troph'iee are provided for each competition, papain Douglas wishes to cxprcts;, on bo. half of tho company, thanks to Captain Dempster and members of, tho Highland ftifles for the Uftf of their targets fox /'-e oocaewu,

Those who are in sympathy with the Navy Leaguo and its worthy objects will be dutcrcsted jn a lantern leetuite, to be delivered on December 7 in tho Garrison Hall by Lieutenant H A T. Knox, late R.N., at present visiting New Zealand. LieutenantKnox will treat of "The British Navy and Foreign Warships." The lecture was well received in Wellington, and he will give a lecture in CliMstchurch also on December 2. The Dunedin Kngineeis have intimated their decision not to compote this year for the Engineers' Challenge Shield. I understand that the decision ie the outcome of general dissatisfaction with the' awards in, previous years, the foaling amongst membeing- the shield has a bins towards Wellington. The parade of the Otago liussars, ordertd for Aovcnibor 24- for inspection by the 1.G., was cancelled.owing to the date proving unsuitable. The uispcction will tako plaoe on ■Uecembor 3. The second concert I organised , for tho raising of funds to augment- llhe First HaillJ,' orK?cl ' s ' un, 'f° rm find and to assist lu to ' (P'P e ) Band to attend tne_ Wangamii contest is commended to : the' iictico of Volunteers and general readers. . <>nl«-rtaiiimeiit takes nluce in the Garrison Hall this evening. The newly-formed Wamate Kifle Association will niake a start on Boxing Day with the following modest programme:— Match No l, seven shots at 200' and 500' yards (one optional sighter, prizes £10-one at £3, one at £2, two at £1, six at 10s,— cnt ' r - v Match No. 2, soven shots at 200 and 600 yards (one optional sighter), prizes i-10-ono at £3, one at £2, two at £1, six at 10s,-entry Ss. Teams' Match, open to teams of five men from any corps, riflo club, or civilians; aggregate of above four shoots to count; nanies to be handed in before the competition; entry 10s per pooled for prize-money and divided in ratio of three, two, and one. Cadets' Match, seven shots at 200 yards, entry Is. Aggregate prizes—trophies given for the highest aggregate. The competitions are open to allcomers. The following note from a young scout gives an idea of the' outings in connection with the Boy Scouts:—"On Saturday a very large number of the North Dunedin Boy Scouts journeyed to Stony Hill. The outing proved to be the most enjoyable and profitable vet held by the North Dun-, edin troop. The route traversed was down' union street, round Logan's Point. After a stiff climb the top of the firet hill was reached. Hero a. halt was called, a nd in an open sputo instruction was given us to how a camp fire should ho built, the boys showing a great interest. After a while a detachment from the North-East Valley troop joined tho North Dunedin troop' in some of the scouts' games. On the wav homo a vigorous tussle ensued between two of the biggest lads -and a number of the smaller ones, the latter entering into the fray with great vigour. At about 7 o'clock- the boys reached town, whence the went to their homes much pleased with their day's outing. Any boy 'wishing to join these scouts may do so bv attending at Scout-master Carr's house," 3T3 Gcorgo street, on Wednesdays at 6.45' p.m." A correspondent writes as follows concenling the Port Chalmers Navnis' camp: " We are having a very successful camp, good weather, and good attendances. The service practice this year will be fired from the 6pr q.f. Nordcnfeldt, five scries. Good practice is being' done on the reclaimed ground, where wo have four Nordcnfeldt guns, two garrison mountiiiß and two mounted on field carriages. A Morris tube is attached to each gun, and good practice is put up at three moving targets erected against the hill. All the worksignalling, d.r.f, and gunnery— is done on the camp ground, thereby saving a lot' of time that used to be lost in previous camps marching to and from the gunshed. Several of the men have passed' in gunnery, range-finding, and gun-laying. " Colonel Davies, in his remarks on Monday evening after he had inspected tho company, referred ;to the interest the townsfolk took in their company by turning out in good numbers to see tho company at work. Next Sunday morning we wlil have our annual church parade, and in the afternoon the camp will be thrown open to the public, and a musical nrocjaiiimc will.

be provided by the band. Mr Joseph Manning's tender lias been accepted to build our now orderly room. When that is' completed, judging by the plans, wo will liavo a most commodious and up-to-date orderly room." At a. largely-attended meeting of the Cavorsham Rifles on tho 24th inst, Lieut. Emmcrson was unanimous!}/ elected captain of the company. Lieut. Emmcrson has had command for a considerable time, and has been instrumental in keeping tho members togother during a period when there was no captain, The same evening Lieut. Uoldonst-edt was put, through the practical portion of his examination by Captain Hickey. Lieut. Goldenstcdt is gamoly attempting a pass after only three months' special preparation. Tho First Railway Pioneers, being tho first and only company of the kind in the Dominion, a special syllabus of work is laid down, Tho course, which covers two yeais, involves very considerable work for the members, as will be seen by tho following: First Year; Field geometry, field level and tho uses of; working parties and materials used in ' field fortifications, riveting, loopholes, elf.; defence of posts, bridges, railway stations, buildings,, etc.'; obstacles, Jn'gli and low wire entanglements; automatic alarms, flares, and various devices to givo warning of ail enemy s approach; use of derricks, spars, etc'.; use of blocks and tackles and reeving them; railway repairs such as windmills, signals, lino, etc. Second Year Construction of .sidings; railway ..deviations; pile-driving, pile nestles,;.frame, trestles, and high trestles; enb piers, 6andbag piers, and stone pirn; demolition's; strength' of materials such 03 lopes and timbers; construction of extemporised armoured trains. . . .The City Guards paraded with three sections, 3* strong, at the Garrison Hall, and ono stiction, 12 strong, at Ravensbounie, on Monday night, when outdoor t * WaS ™ m "!,, out 7, c( ? m Pa n y drill under Lieutenant AVillortghhy arid extended order, under Sergeants Husband and Mills. Uiptiim Douglas then examined non-coms, and men, and explained the various movements. Lieutenant .-.Tack attended the paiade of the Eavonsbourne section, and carried out extended-order work on the Reclaimed Ground, Sergeant Jones, Corporal Edwards, and Lance-corporal Ross Sfuctibn" >ifl ° exeroiso n,| d discipline Tho. Redeliffs range has. recently been put- into good order, and the A trench is now protected' by a great stone wall; while bUH has .been cleared, and made presentable, The grass has had good opportunity to grow during the past three months, and tHo sand, win oh last year was 'tou° i ' n ev '^ wlC€ , is now covered. When; tho new target frames a.re in complete working order there & little' doubt •that,'marksmen will fire under better conditions than'for many a Icing" day. ' • In order to encourage proficiency in rifle, shooting by Cadets under the control of the Defence Department, authority • has' bperi gnx:n for the issue annually of composite gold and silver ■ medals and silver medals for . competition, the first competition to.' be for tho year ending on February 28, 1909. A composite medal for the best, shot in each island; and a silver,'medal for the best/shot in each district, will be given. Competitions for these medals are to be confined to members of the Defence Cadets at colleges and high schools and. Defence Cadets not connected with schools.- The geld and silver medal for the best shot in the island is to be awarded to the Cadet making the highest aggregate 6coro in each island, antf tho silvor . medal to the Cadet' making tho hig'neat aggregate score in each district-, provided the' Cadet .making- the highest wore'is not tho winner of an island medal, in which cvont the district medal will be awarded to the next highest score in the district. ;A new Mauser rifle cartridge charged with smokeless powder, and carrying a sha.rply-ppinted_ bullet cased in a coppersteel is 1 on trial iii the Spanish army. The mean initial velocity obtained is 860 m 940yds)j as against the former 650 m (720 yds). Experiments _ have proved that the new/bullet never fails to pierco sharply the shield of a Schnider quick-firing gun at' a • distance of'4oom (440yds)—a result not obtain aWe with • the present service pattern ammunition. •' .An automatic rifle (ofliciaJly known as " Relcylgevaret MIO6 "), the invention of M. Fidjelarid, has a bore of 6,5 mm (0.255 in) diameter; its iweight, including the bayonet, is. approximately 91b 2oz; and its length is about 47in, Recoil is stated'-to bo scarcely peroeptible, since its force is expended in the various operations of an automatic action, Tho mechanism is comparatively simple, and the rate of fire is so great that 6ix accurately aimed shots can be fired within seconds. Tho issue of the new cavalry sword began recently, when, three regiments of tho First Cavalry Brigade at Aldcrshot each' received' a consignment of 100 swords of the' new' .pattern. The old type of cutting, sword will very shortly be obsolete, and the , cavalryman in the , future will hayo to kill his ad versary—where killing is necessary—with a thrust, as his forefathers'.did' in tho 16th century. This; of course, will mean the entiri revision of'the cavalry sword from start to finish, The new weapon • was selected by a special committee owing to tho old pattern being bdilly reported on in South Africa. Major-general H. J. Scoljell, now Inspector of Cavalry, recommended that a sword for pointing instead of cutting should be adopted, and this • suggestion being agreed to, • a new pattern was devised, suitable for poyit work in pursuit and thrusting in tactics. / The evidence taken by the committee showed that tho number of the enemy killed by -the sword was returned at less than a' score, while the number disabled, was proportionately small. One officer, in' giving evidence before tho committee, said lie saw four or live troopers ride at a mounted Boer-and attack him with their swords, yet not one penetrated his clothing.- They all out at him, but beyond a bad bruising the man was. uninjured.. On the other, hand, there are many experts who still hold to the old pattern, and a heated discussion as to the merits and demerits, of the new weapons has for some time past been carried on in the presei Some of tlio writers insist that a British soldier will always use a sword; for cutting and slashing, while othe is discourse on the relative merits of tho out and the point. The happy medium lies in th'ft course adopted by the Army Council in having an edge to the new pointing sword, because it is evident that in a close melee,- where opposing forces are mixed up closely together, the men may be so jammed as to bo unable to use the point effectually, and the out then would be of the greatest eervico. But history is undoubtedly on the side of tho new weapon, for ■if we go back to the days of the Romans, we find that the, sword was used for thrusting; so it was in the sixteenth century with the cavalry sword; so it will be-probably to tho end of time.—United Service Gazette.