MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1037, 28 January 1911, Page 12

MILITARY NOTES.

[Edited Bi Ecmxos.]. THE WAY TO CAMBERLEY* MUSKETRY IN SECONDARYSCHOOLS. . ; Tho armoured cruisers New Zealario! and Australia are building for service in the Pacific • will displace 18,800 tons and will be sister ships to the lndefati<*. able. Orders have also been-placed for a protected cruiser for the Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand services.

In addition to the appointments, as Directors in' the Military' College in Australia, of Major C. W. Gwynn G.M.C, D.5.0.,- R.E., Director of Military Art, and Major E. E: Sinclair Maclagan, D.5.0., Yorkshire Regiment," Di> rector of Drill, the Commonwealth Goveminent has approved of the appoint meut of a third officer, to perform/the duties of Instructor, Military Engineering. All these officers were to leave EhgV land about the middle of January; as ii is necessary that the preliminary work of organisation shall be started ■ early 'i» March.

The Austro-Hungarian War Minister has drawn up a programme of musketry inspection for pupils of secondary schools in winch it-is desired such instruction should bo given. The course, is a six months' one, covering the following syllabus (two hours per "week being given, thereto):— • '

(a) Preliminary theoretical instruction of from twelve to fourteen • hours for pupils in their last year but one, and for eight- hours for those in their last year; (b) firing with reduced charges, 100 shots per pupil, followed by a lecture; (o) firing ball ammunition, with full charge, for pupils in their last year, provided good results have been obtained when firing the "reduced charge" series, forty cartridges being allowed per pupil; (d) judging distance when out walking. The teaching is carried out. by military instructors in the presence of. the college personnel. It is recommended that when resting on the ranges and during walks, opportunity should .be taken to give the pupils general notions about the military forces!-their organisation, the importance-of the army, mapreading, etc., so as to arouse their interest in military questions.. It is hoped by these methods to secure a happy collaboration between the-army and the; imiversity which may be ..productive of fruitful results.

In view of the' circumstance that selected officers of tie New. Zealand Permanent Staff, will in future ■■ bo nominated from time to time for the entrance examination at the Staff- Col- - lege, Camberley, it may be of interest v to note that British Army Orders for ,s December contain'the following substitution for paragraph 721 of the. King's Regulations:— .'' " " - ; -.'

"Except in the case of officers'of the Royal Engineers and 'Army Service Corps, all commanding officers and the Commandant.'of."' the Royal Military Academy;' 'Royal" Military College, Schools'of Musketry and of Gunnery, and tlid Cavalry School, will'keep'a list of officers under their command 'of three years'. service and ov€rj-"whdm they certify to be in every'respect thoroughly good regimental officers, and whom they recommend for admission to the Staff College.'-because'4heir .services/on-rtho staff' Tvpuld"be ! 'valu ! a'ble to the service and. creditable to the regiment .to which they belong. •.. _-.."

"The.list of ■ selected officers ,of-. the - R.E.-.and:of the A.S.C. will be kept at the War Office. G.O.'sC, and- commanders .of the educational establishments mentioned, above, -and the' commandant of the School of Military, En-■ gihecrihg, will bring to notice, . annually, when rendering their annual reports, the names of. any officers' belonging to these corps, serving' under their command, whom they, recommend should,be placed on this list/'.. : r -'--

"Except "iii the'casVof the* R.E. and the A.S.C., an.officer': ,(1) Serving,at. a depot or on 'tho regular establishment of the special.reserve unit; (2) seconded from. his.unit for duty on the!"'staff, 1 ' or as adjutant of; a unit'-of the Special. Reserve, Territorial Force, or Officers' Training Corps; or (3)' employed in the Permanent Forces of Oversea Dominions, will, if selected,; have bis •' name recorded on -the list by the'.officer. com;, mandirig the regular unit in which lie last served. •■ ' '

"A copy of the list of selected officers is to be furnished by the officer responsible for keeping the selected list to' each G.0.C., :when a unit comes under his command, and '.annually, on-January 1. In the.case of an individual officer transferred from one command. or unit to another,. or to one of ,the .e'duc'ap tional establishments, his'name,, if'.it., is on'the selected list, shoiild-be communicated by the authority 'responsible/' for.keeping that list' to the G.O.C,the' O.C. unit, or the' Commandant of .the educational establishment, respectively,;!, to-whose command he is .transferred,. The fact of an officer's name being-add-!-.'; ed to, or struck off, the list, should be ! reported-in the same manner : to' the G.O.C, the O.C: unit, or the ;Gbm-'" mandant of the educational establish-' ment concerned. : A G.O.C. ,irill; takeevery opportunity of making himself, fully acquainted with all officers'on the selected list who are under his com-, mand. He should attach them to his staff on any .occasions, when their services can be profitably utilised, and. should particularly observe them during field operations. He will report . fully on them when furnishing his an-. nua'l confidential reports, .especially, with regard to their abilities and qualifications for staff employment.-.,. "If a G.O.C. or the Commandant of any of the above-mentioned _educatipnal establishments. considers that an officer on the'selected list is "pot up to-the standard required for the Staff College ho will tako the necessary . steps to have his name removed from that list, and make a note of having done so in the-officer's annual confidential report. V "As a rule"—this is important—"an. officer will not be- permitted to com- ; pete for the Staff College" unless his name has been on the selected list.forat least one year."