THE ENGLISH VOLDNTEERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1630, 8 August 1887, Page 3

THE ENGLISH VOLDNTEERS.

: — ♦— r- ~ ."■ ' Speaking of the Whitsuntide ma>. ceuvre of the English Volunteers, the " Dail] News " remarks ;— The Volunteers d'u good work for themselves and for ihu nation. Tbeir habitual way of spendiuj their holidays would have delighted thoei eduofttional reformers of an earlier anc somewhat discredited Bchool who sough to combine Instruction with amusement In one way or other, yesterday, thousmii of men went through roost of the expert ences of military life. Iv many paces they were under canvas, and eomo ol them are to have no better shelter till the end of the week. At Olaremont they had a field-day, following a march from town, and before nightfall they had oovered over 20 miLia of road, out and home, to say frothing of their labors m the field, The march was made iv thorough military style, and the oyolista were employed to maintain communication between the front and reir of the long oolumn. This, perhaps, is not thoroughly military, but the soonar it becomes so for oertain kindß of service the hotter. la many other ways the force showed that it is rapidly learning to suffice to itself. Some regi ments provided their own cooks, instsad of having to rely upon a civilian caterar, and one 1b to be credited with a praiseworthy attempt to utilise its ohaplain by taking him out on the^maroh. The Essex men have been marohlng for three diyn and billeting at night. We are m a golden time of highest promise for the Volunteers. The old offiolal indifference must be held to have disappeared forever, after the remarkable paper read at the United Service Institution the other day. Ab that paper Bhowed, our military authorities have given the force a defiuite and an important place m tbeir scheme of mobilisation, and they are about to qualify them for a better ena by helping tnem t) become good field artillery. Th< re cannot be a doubt that thsz'al ot Vountoers will more than equal that of the Government. There was a danger when tha zeal was all on one side, but that is past. Now that the feeling is shared by both parties, they act and react on each other m the most beneficial way, Tn good understanding, as m bad, somebody must begin, and tn the present instance that honor belongs to the Volunteers