Gossip Volunteer

Observer, Volume 9, Issue 532, 2 March 1889, Page 13

Gossip Volunteer

By Rifleman.

—Canterbury volunteers are agitating for an Easter encampment. —Lieut-Colonel Shepherd was one of the first to volunteer for service at Gisborne. —The Wellington Naval Artillery is nowgoing through a course of gun drill under canvas. —Several officers belonging to the wa r ships now in harbour were here some twelve year s ago. —Sergeant-Major Grant has been putting the Navals in camp, through a useful course of field drill. —The Permanent Force stationed at North Shore were under orders to proceed to Gisborne last Monday morning. —The Onehunga Eifles are likely to lose their captain, as Sir William Wastenys has purchased a Waikato paper. —Now that the Orlando has returned from the South, it is probable the return shooting match with the City Guards will take place. —The strongest company in the Auckland Garrison at the present time is the Auckland Navals, its strength bein? beyond the century. —The City Guards and Victoria Rifles were greatly benefited by their week's stay in camp, and the officers were well spoken of by the men. —The A Battery sustained its reputation as a smart corps by the really excellent manner in which they went through big gun drill at the Military Sports. —Quite a friendly feeling has sprung up between the volunteers and men from the warships. The latter accompany the former on all church parades. —Towards the end of this week, the crew of H.M.S. Dart will be leaving for England, and a small guard will be left to mind the vessel until the arrival of the relief. —The Waitemata Naval Artillery went into camp last Saturday for a course of instruction in big gun drill. They will be relieved on Saturday next by the Auckland Navals. —The residents at North Shore speak in high terms of the discipline maintained in the Waitemata camp. They say, were it not for the tents they should not know the men were there. —The Navals, who have been undergoing big gun driL this last fortnight, feel very thankful to Sergeant-Major Silva, of the Permanent Force, for the care he has Ehown in his instruction. —The Victoria Killes and City Guards came out of camp on Monday Jast. The men were greatly pleased with their stay under canvas, and speak in high terms of their lieutenant. —Immediately there was any question sending troops to the East Coast, Captain Parker of the Naval Artillery, wired to the Premier offering to bring 46 men. He was supported in this by all his officers. —' Doctor' Payne, of the A. Battery, has gone into business for himself as a watchmaker and jeweller in premises situated in the Victoria Arcade. The ' doctor' is now prepared to do business, and would like to see his old volunteer chums look him up. —The rifle match between the City Guards and Hamilton Infantry is fixed on Saturday, March 2nd, under the following conditions ; —lO, 12, or 15 men aside; ranges, 200, 300, and 500 yards; sighting shots, one sighter at each range ; shots, if 10 men, 7 shots, 12 or 15 men, 5 shots. —Since the Government have decided to grant relative rank to all officers of the Naval Artillery, it may not be out of place to state what this means. For instance, the Commanding Officer of a Naval Corps will bo styled Lieut. Commander with relative rank of a captain. The two subalterns "will rank with a first lieutenant of infantry. —Lord Wolseley's picture of the battle of the future in his review of Colonel Maurice's article on war is remarkable chiefly because of the confidence with which he relies on the elimination of noise: ' One remarkable change will be the absence of nearly all terrific noise which the discharge of 500 or 600 field guns and the roar of musketry caused in all great battles. We shall have practically no smoke to mark the position of the enemy's batteries and troops in action. The sound of cannon will be slight, and will no longer indicate to troops where their comrades are engaered or the point upon which they should consequently march.' —Appended is a list of the ships of war on the Australian station, with their original cost of construction and cost of armaments, also that of a few of the largest ironclads at Home The figures herein stated do not include the amount paid for improvements and other outlays :—

Hull, Gun Ma'-bi-Sbip. Mountings, neiy. Tota'. &c. £ £ £ H.H.S. Orlando ... 206 6A7 60,105 2-)t!,Sl2 H.M.S. Calliope ... S-2,(K0 35.000 120,000 H.M.S. Diamond ... 50.607 26,189 76,706 H.M.S. Opal ... 68,57-1 27,375 95,949 H.M.S. Bapid, .. 52,107 16,119 65,226 H.&T.S. Eoyalist .. 52.134 1(5,039 63,173 H.M.S. Egeria ... 32,468 10,414 42,882 IRONCLADS. H.M.S. Nile v ... 735,794 98,000 863,791 H.M.S. Trafalgar ... 765,794 97,000 862,794 H.M.S. Inflexible ... 643,-vll 146,450 795,268 H.M.S. Benbow ... 659,820 110,000 760,822.