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tional cheeriness tends to obscure the fact that Achilles is vulnerable at the heel. All these great assemblages of troops, in trying weather, and very trying also in some of their other conditions, took place with only one regrettable incident. Were I merely globe-trotting—were I by chance an intelligent foreigner instead of an old soldier—l should say, What an excellent discipline ! But. being what I am, I know that what held the troops together was a finer quality than discipline, but one, alas, under the wear-and-tear of the hardships of a long campaign, more evanescent. It was patriotism. What is wanted. 97. Let us but get a thorough habit of discipline on the top of the glowing New Zealand patriotism and no one in this world could wish for more. What is needed is that officers, especially company otticers, should understand clearly that they are, for the time being, fathers and mothers to the lads entrusted to them for a brief period by the State. They must know each man—not the name only, but nature of the man. They should be able to guess what be is thinking about without waiting for him to speak. And, always, they must remember they issue no command from any petty personal motive, but ever and only as the responsible, trusted agents of the sovereign State. At present all this may seem too hard. Under the conditions of training I have suggested elsewhere it will be much easier, and, should these suggestions find acceptance, I have no fear as to the form or thoroughness of the discipline which will characterize the New Zealand Forces. Training. 98. I will deal with this more fully under the headings of the three arms. All I will say here is (hat the troops can "get there," and once in face of the enemy can combine to strike a heavy simultaneous blow against his position. In attack there was less piecemeal Frittering away of forces than I have sometimes seen at big manoeuvres in England or on the Continent. AJmosi always there was an intelligent attempt to hold the enemy in one part of the field and to hit him a blow in the vitals with the main force in another. The defence was usually weak in that the positions selected and the dispositions made were wanting in depth. A force strung out in one long line must collapse at once against a flank attack even from a small force of mobile mounted men. Intercommunication. 99. This service was on the whole good. The signallers were keen, quick, and usually well posted. Not so much reliance was placed on telephones and telegraphs as on the Continent of Europe, and this is so much to the good. Scouts. 100. Not enough trouble was taken to select the men best adapted by character, education, and physique for this most responsible work. The scouts should be to an army what its antennae are to an an t—to see and not to be seen ; to determine Eor themselves whether to fire or remain concealed ; to send back useful messages to the commander : all these duties demand the best that the company can produce, and are not to be fulfilled by individuals selected haphazard from the ranks. Spiritual Counsellors. 101. As experienced fishers of men the clergy of all denominations have been quick to realize the unrivalled opportunities for soul-catching afforded by a camp. There the devil, deprived of his favourite weapons of drink and flirtation, is comparatively at a discount. So it happened that one night, intending to go to a boxing-match, 1 fell into the midst of a prayer-meeting. The bnvs were praying with a great deal of fervour, and yet, 1 dare say, at home many of them rarely enter a church. Certainly the clergy in camp are a security to parents that military training is a school of morality as well as of defence. As fov the reverend gentlemen themselves, 1 hope I may be permitted to report that, secularly speaking, .they set a good example to every one in treating everything that turned up with good humour and bonhomie. Mounted Rifles. 102. New Zealand is fortunate in being able to muster at a very moderate expense such a fine body of horsemen as the Mounted Rifles. The higher commands are in capable hands, the instructors are able, and all ranks are animated with a keenness and initiative that deserve high praise. The result is reflected in the field-work in which I have inspected them. The squadrons move at a good pace, and come into action quickly ; and they possess in a wonderful degree (considering the want of practice) that cohesion without which it is impossible to handle any considerable force of horsemen. 103. The horses are up to weight, show some quality, and look to be in good condition ; some of the units are quite remarkably well mounted, and their mounts are a level lot, when the conditions under which they are called up are taken into account. The activity of the horses and the nerve of their riders were brought forcibly home to me by two little incidents in my inspection. On one occasion the scouts of a brigade were sent out to a flank to reconnoitre ; they popped over a five-strand barbed-wire fence as if it had been a two-foot drain. Another time a troop about to advance had to be specially ordered to go through a gate instead of jumping the wire fence in front of them. Some of the men have the regulation colonial-pattern saddle, an excellent one for the purpose, but a large proportion of the saddles used are not suitable for military work, and would grove unserviceable in war. Ultimately the provision of regulation saddlery will have to be faced.