Soldierly Ardeur.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1682, 30 March 1885, Page 3

Soldierly Ardeur.

The Australasian writes as follows; —“ liven in the torrent, tempest, and whirlwind of our patriotic and warlike passion, we trust that it may be per* milted to lind some quiet satisfaction in the chance elements of the comic which our military movement presents. For instance, we hope that one may be a patriotic Australasian and patriotic Englishman, aud still be alive to the ludicrous in the telegram in which Colonel Sleep embodied the soldierly ardour of Ballarat. To the inquiries of the Defence Office Colonel Sleep replied ;- “ Can get men to join, but let me know terms. What will be the pay ? What provision for wives and families in case of death, and what pension if disabled P All enthusiastic. —J. T. Sleep, Lieut.* colonel,’ This is delightful. So warlike, so enthusiastic, so prudent, aud above all, so instinctive wi hj the shrewd wisdom of Ballarat. It is iu that amusing play of Mr Gilbert’s, ‘ Engaged,’ is it not ? that tho heroine says to her lover, ‘ Belvawney, I love you with all the fervour, the affection, the all-sacaiflcing deyotiou of an un* selfish nature ; love you deeply, madly ; but business is business, and before we say any more on this point let mo hear what you have to say on the subject of settlements.’ How admirably does this anticipate the military ardour of knowing, farsighted Ballarat! Then there is tho recommendation of several correspondents that instead of sending a contingent of soldiers to the Soudan, we should send a corps of hospital nurses. Iu other words, that instead of sending meu we should send women. Clearly, this admirable proposal has much to recommend it. It would give us who send them the credit and the glory, and would relieve us from much unpleasantness. It amusingly recalls Artemius Ward’s patriotic offer to send all of bis wife’s relations to fight tho battles of his bleeding country.