MILITARY AND NAVAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7435, 23 June 1902, Page 3

MILITARY AND NAVAL.

NEWS AND NOTES. f'CANTBEBXTBT TlHKß.**l Among the aids to successful shooting Morris-tube practice occupies a foremost place, and the recently-formed Canterbury Morris-tube Association should therefore be, welcomed by all our local Volunteer companies, as well as by everyone who takes any interest in rifle shooting. At present the Asjsociatipn consists of the Lyttelton Navais, Nfßattery, Canterbury Engineers, Civil Service Rifles, Highland Rifles, Cycle Corps, Canterbury A. and C. Club, Sydenham Working Men's Club, Avon Rowing Club and Lincoln Club. A challenge shield competition has 'been instituted, ■which, will be governed by the following rules: — The competition will consist of a series of matches, each team to meet every jother. The result to be counted by number of wins (one point, to count for a win). All matches must be fired for with the Martini Morris-tubes. No members of any one corps or club shall be allowed to fire for any other corps or club in the competition. Teams to consist of ten men a side. All matches shall be fired at a 200 yards range, at a target with a three-quarter bull's-eye, seven shots' per man, with one sighter (which latter will not count in the score). Targets for matches must be obtained from the Secretary of the Association. In the event of two teams tieing on points for the shield a deciding match will be fired 1 . In the^ event of two teams tieing in a competition half a point will be allowed 1 to each. Any team not being on the range within half an hour *of the time appointed shall forfeit the match. Results of matches to be sent to the Secretary (accompanied: by the score sheets certified to by the captains of the teams) as early as possible after the firing has taken place. ' No team is eligible to compete until, the yearly subscription of lQs ha&been paid by the corps or club it represents. All protests shall be decided by the committee. Protests must be in writing, and accompanied by the target in question. Whatever may be said of the war ' in South Africa, when viewed from other aspects, there can. be no question that it has served 1 to place the Volunteers on a different footing with the public from that which they occupied before the outbreak of hostilities. At one time the Volunteers were looked on by many people as existing merely with the object of playing at soldiers, with no more serious aim than their own amusement: It was in vain that the Volunteers and their friends protested that, given the necessity, they would be found both able and willing to take their part in the serious business of war. The opportunity did not occur, and the scoffers remained unconvinced. Now all this is changed, and the Volunteers have effectually proved to the World that they are quite capable of 'holding their own with the best. The result has been that the public is now prepared to look on the Volunteer Force with a more friendly eye, satisfied that it is for more than amusement that the youth of the colony is prepared to wear a uniform and devote a large proportion of his time in becoming proficient in his duties. effect of the war is that it has shown the necessity of remodelling the whole system of fighting. It has demonstrated that with the extraordinary improvements which have taken place of recent years in regard to armaments, the conditions under which war is carried on have "vastly changed. For no longer do armies face one another at distances sufficiently close " that one may see one's enemy in the flSsh." "To-day," says a writer, "a man may die as soon as the enemy's long guns begin to speak seven miles away. . . . Over that great interval he must walk with, caution, with a wide interval between him and his pals on either, hand; he must lie down at every short halt and scratch the ground hurriedly with his little blade, at every long one. ... The country on all sides is as his native dale — not a sign of the enemy or of his guns. The army is advanced at a snail's pace through a zone of ever increasing fire. At 4000yds shrapnel finds its range ; another thousand, and the bullets begin to hum and whine an4 strike besoms and helmets with the sound of a boxer punching the ball. And so, until at 1000yds the attack; can git no farther, brought up by sheer fire. And whilst another plan is devised, the army crouch behind whatever cover it can get or make. After perhaps two days of this, the plan is complete, and the army, with a yell of relief, plunges desperately across the neutral ground, through a whirlwind of death, and the battle is over one waf or the other at last." A movement is on foot in Ashburton with the object of erecting a- memorial to Ashburton boys who have fallen at the front in South Africa. It is not quite clear from tfhe utterance® of the War Office what is intended to be dome with! regard to the kilt (says an. English, writer). So far as we can. gather the present Highland dress is to be worm save on field 1 service, when tibere is to be ai modification by tine substitution of khaki for tartan. But the probability is that the fieldjservioe unifoiani will be worn- by all regiments gave on sbow occasions, such as reviews, guards of hiora>u!r, presentations of colours, etc. The alleged reason for aibanddning tihe ordinary -for a special kilt is, thiat tiie former is too conspicuous a mark for the enemy. It • is . however a questLomi whether in a European war tine (necessity for invisibility will be so great as'it is iai South Africa. Granted however the desirableness of -adoptinig in the field a khuki kilt, it will be necessary also to adopt a different sporran from that now in use. That the kilt is a. good campaigning dress, save under special circumstances, will not be denied by those w3tt> have worn it in fbe field. Its great thickness round the waist helps to ward off chills and stomachic complaints. It gives great freedom to the legs, and 19 unrivalled for martfhittfir in. It is likewise convenient when a ford or shallow stream tas to l ba crossed. From a strictly utilitarian, point of view a khaki kilt is doubtless preferable to a tartan kilt. Of course the ctange would also be accompanied! by the adaption, of khaki-coloured goiters or spat®. We can nevertheless sympathise with those who object to any alteration in. the distinctive uniform of Highland regiments as a step towards a dull uTuformity in dress aswi the diminution of esprit de oorps. To pretend however that there is great discontent a.t the proposed change on ilhe part of the men is to show great ignorance of the feelirig of the rank-amd-file of the regiments concerned. Many of the men in Highland regiments are not Higihlamders or even Scotchmen, but are to a great extent Londoners, with... no sentimental feeling on the subject. Indeed, even among Scotchmen, in High Iland regiment*, a large majority prefer the trews to the kilt, as more easily put onamd less expensive. •

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