MILITARY AND NATAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8100, 27 August 1904, Page 5

MILITARY AND NATAL

KEWS AND BIOTES. Captain L. L. He-pper, Royal Artillery, v,-riting in the " Unite t [ Service Jlagasine," offers somo rather misible advice regarding tho organisation of the brn-ncli of the araiy to which he belongs. He points out. ihat the Royal Artillery is at present in a state ol confusion. Tho three branches of ths Roya] regiment axe founded on a cpnimons&nao idea, -wTon^ly applied, a^d in tho case of tho ..Eoyal (>arri?on Artillery, tho -duties -which aro assigned, to it aro so peculiarly mised as to render it impossible to -d-itec its actual place- in' the fighting scheme. Captain Hepper urges a root-and-branch reform. Tho duty of garrison artillery, he urges, is fortress work. That is « science by itself, ar.d the art-Hcrvma--who is charged -with the care of co«£_-t defences should be thoroughly and practically acquainted with every phase 01 fcis work, and -with th© necessities of co-operation with the navy. He should not be called upon to take his place in field operations in " heavy brigades " or with mountain batteries. The coast defence artillery, then, says Captafri Hepper, should be a distinct branch, well paid, because requiring high scientific training. For field operations thero should bft mobile artillery, containing, fi? at present, horse and field artillery, amd also including the heavy gun batteries which are necessary to modern campaigns and the light guns for mountain warfare: In this way duties would bo clearly defined. The drawback would be that the unfortunate coast defence officer would have little chance of diEtinguishing himself, amd the corps might suffer in consequence; but the ' suggestion is that the lack of the opportunity for active eervice skould bs cbmpensated for by making tbe pay better in the branch. Captain Hepper thinks there would be no lack of good officers, of scientific attainments if this were done.