THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 6

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Sentbi

[ltems of interest concerning corps (town and country), shooting, and defence mat-

ters generally will be accepted. GoPl"; addressed to “ Sentry.” should bo in band bv noon on Thursday.l Territorials are still finding their way to the Defence office in St. Andrew street tor tho purpose of taking the oath. Inc P*' o ' ced-ure is for the Territorial to take tlio Bible in band and make the following declaration: — . , j j do sincerely promise and swear that I will bo faithful and bear true alle-gr-anoo to our Sovecpigrx I/ord tbe King, nis hoire and successors, and that 1 w;u faithfully servo in the Now Zealand Military Forces, according toiny liability under tho Defence Act at present in force, &ncl that I will observe and obey all orders of his Majesty, his heirs and successors, and of the generals and officers set over mo until I am lawfully discharged. So help me God. The Territorial then signs his name below the declaration, which is included in I. is personal record book; the officer adniinistermg the oath signs a declaration to the effect that ho has satisfied himself that the signator lias, fully understood tho nature of the oath, and tlie business is_ completed. Very shortly the Group officials will tour the country districts for the purpose of administering tho oath to Territorials and Cadets in outlying localities. A mooting of officers commanding Senior Cadet companies is to be' hold in Dunedin on tho 11th inst., when tho final posting of officers will be accomplished. Amongst tho religious orders whose principles are disturbed by the compulsory service principle arc tho Seventh Day Adventists. According to their belief the world, with the exception of themselves, is astray with respect to the day observed as fiaubatli. As a concession to their belief they may receive upon application a certificate exempting them from attending drills and parades between sunset on Friday and sunset on Saturday, which represents to them tho true Sabbath. The exemption docs not relieve them from the responsibility of service on other days.

Tho uniforming of tho forces is now ono of tho urgent considerations. The hopelessness of expecting to get successful ieeults from drilling men in motley attire is generally recognised by those who have attempted it. General Godlcy’s desire to see the forces in uniform at the earliest possible moment will be cohood by all who share the responsibility of carrying out tho training. The delay at present is in getting tho men measured and the necessary requisition forms prepared and despatched to headquarters. They have at headquarters 10,000 suits ready for issue with 1000 per month to be received regularly from the contractors. This work could bo pushed eve without the necessity of waiting until tho quartermaster-sergeant has time to measure every individual, for the requisition form is so fully detailed that with .very littlo practice a novice could take the measurements, whilst in many cases a company will include a man acquainted with tailoring who could put the work through In very short time. A busy time is before companies if they aro to accomplish the training required of them prior to the close of tho present military year. Only 18 weeks of the year remain and ono week of that period has to bo absorlied with camp, so that to carry out tho four afternoon parados and the 12 evening parades will moan that each man must attend an average of one parade pe.week.

There is apparently some jealousy existing between the Naval and Military Aeronautical Departments (says the United Service Gazette). Tlie rapid breaking up of tho naval airship at Barrow induced the department at Aldershot to make an experiment to prove that it was just as easy to deflate their airship tho Gamma. f-o on the 2nd inst. they proceeded to demonstrate the fact, while in the air, by means of its ripping valve. Tho airship was in tho charge of a detachment of tlie Air Battalion, under Lieutenant Waferlow, and the experiment was witnessed bv Mr M ervyn O'Gornian, tlie superintendent of the army aiieraft factory, and other official*. The object of the experiment, it was stated, was to endeavour to ascertain as accurately as possible what would happen to tho airship in ease it was found! imperative, through wind or stress of active ■crvico. to make a quick landing and deflate the gas envelope without the assist-

anc" of any outside .help. Tlic airship was accordingly brought out into the grounds of tho factory and allowed to ascend a little way with her engines running. These were stopped as the airship was brought down, so that the crew would have been able to reach tho ground by sliding down the long trail ropes. Tito ripping valve or panel was operated at the same moment by a cord from the ground, end the collapse was instantaneous, gas rushing out, and the whole mass of material settling down into an apparently shapeless wreck. Tire after part of the gas envelope, with a small volume of gas in it, still floated, but the car and framework were jumbled up in a tangle of wires, spars, and rods on the ground. We are told that cinematographic records of the collapse were secured, hut how that fact will assist in making tho Gamma a unit for air flighting is not stated. What the British public, who are finding the money for this experimenting, want to know is when these airships are likely to be of service for fighting purposes. An enterprising reporter states that the gas envelope was completely deflated, although we are puzzled to know what other result was expected by ripping up the vessel; then the whole' of tne structure was carried piecemeal into the shed! It was officially stated that the damage done was very slight, extending little beyond a few bent rolls and stays, and not more than was anticipated. The engines and car were uninjured, while the frame, having been constructed with such a contingency in view, was also unharmed. Now that both vessels are rendered useless, it is hoped that the navy and armv will cry “quits,” and proceed to real 'business by adopting aeroplanes for practical use. While we are experimenting and wasting money, other rations are making marvellous strides, and leaving us far behind—except for the enterprise of private individuals. It was not alv a vs thus. . British bluejackets have been doing useful police work by stopping gun-running in tho Persian Gulf. Tho gun-running is | carried out as follows Arab merchants in ■ Muscat buy rifles and ammunition of , modern make from European firms, and sell and send them across tho Persian Gulf in native dhows. These land generally on tho Mekran post. whore the Afghan traders who have bought them from tho Muscat merchants take delivery and carry the rifles and ammunition on tho backs of camels to Afghanistan. There they are sold to the wild tribesmen on the borders of British India, and it is obvious that unless the traffic is stopped out “ small wars” on the north-West Frontier will be very much more serious than they have j been hitherto. I It would naturally be best to the trade at. its source bv petting the European nations who make the arms to agree to stop their exportation, but unfortunately it has not vet been found possible to do this. Consequently tho Government cf India, with the approval of the Home Government, has arranged to have ships of the Royal Navy and the Indian Marine stationed in the Persian Gulf for the purpost of waylaying the dhews. | The ships employed have been the HighOver, the Fox, the Perseus, and the Philomel, throe sloops and six steam launches, j Tlie larger ships are connected by wireless telegraphy, and, on tho information he ro- | ccives from them and from shore stations , with which lie is in communication throOgh tlie wireless station ar Bask, the admiral : can keep a very good look out for any craft, reported to have left the Arab coast with forbidden cargoes. Tlio-e operations against gun-running have tieen going on for over two years, and during that time 14,000 rifles and millions of rounds of ammunition have been captured, whilst considerable quantities have been thrown overboard by the gun-runners themselves in order to avoid discovery when they have seen a search party coming. The returns of the Muscat Customs showed a decline of £133,000 -in 1909. and of £IBO.OOO in 1910. in the value of imported arms, as compared with 1808. _ j The great British navy has done magnificent work in the came of humanity bv tho suppression of the slave trade and in the cause of civilisation bv the etipproe- j sion of piracy. It will do much to further j the cause of peace by breaking up this trade of supplying arms to men who will use them chiefly in inter-tribal war or in raids on our peaceful Indian subjects. j In view of the perennial discussion as to the practicability of an invasion of Great Britain it i.s interesting to recall the fact that during the period 1796-8 no fewer than ’ four raids against England were successful as to crossing the Channel, though two of them failed to land. but. in one instance got safely back, while the other was caught

by a fleet under Sir John Borlaso Warren and defeated with lois of four ships and heavy casualties. Two were successful in landing. One under General Humbert, and consisting of some 110 men, landed safely in Killala Bay. General Humbert was at once joined by a large force of Irish rebels, whom ho armed. Castlebar was taken and the raiders were for a whole fortnight devastating the country and destroying property before a force sufficiently strong to resist them could be sent to that part from Ireland. General Humbert eventually surrendered. The last of these expeditions, 1200 strong, crossed the Channel successfully, and landed in Pembrokeshire with orders to burn Bristol, but the troops composing it were of a very inferior tvpe and were forced to surrender to the Cardigan Militia soon after landing.