MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1342, 20 January 1912, Page 9

MILITARY NOTES.

GEditzb Bt Echiloh.] AUSTRALIAN CADETS TO "TOE THE LINE." Why docs a soldier when saluting a superior officer raise his hand to His hea'l covering? Tho beginning, suggests a writer in a contemporary, dates back to (he time of the Borgias, if not to an earlier period. In thoso days assassination was in vogue, and in order that an inferior might not havu a superior at advantage, the inferior was compelled, when, coming into his superior's prcs-eiice, to raise liis right hand, palm to the front, to show that 110 dagger was concealed there. ]:'rom this old-time custom our hand salute, it is alleged, has oome down.

The total weight carried by a British infantry soldier in war is s'Jlb. lloz., as against Sfllb. lfioz. carried by a German and fiSlli. bv a Erencli soldier- Infantry soldiers under twenty years of age aio not wait on servi'eo Jn jieace the weight to be carried in full marching order, without ball ammunition or emergency ration, is ■J'.llb. loz. The course of instruction in marching is progressive, both as to distance and weight to be carried, and lasts through tho training season,' at tho end of the period of collective training infantrymen are able to carry their full marching order for 20 miles and mero without undue fatigue. _ Tho training of tiie young soldier in this important |>arfc of his duty is carefully supervised with a view to securing that the strength of ua individual should be overtaxed.

The Commonwealth Defence Department is rigorously insisting on the registration of all youths born during tho year, 1808 (14 years ago). Lads registered during this month will be medically examined during February and March, and tho medically tit posted to companies and battalions during April and May. Uniform and equipment will bo issued in Juno, and training in the senior' cadets, will commence in July. There are .still a largo number who«e parents are unduly delaying the matter. The Australian .Minister of Defence slated recently that pcoplo must understand that til!' amended Act which was parsed lost session gives power to prosecute and to recover penalties'l» fore the lads reach the age "of 18 vears. The Government intends U> rigorously enforce the now provision. A reduction of hours and an extension of tho powers of area officers'to arrange parades to suit tho convenience of cadets will operate this year, and there could now be no excuse, he said,- for non-atteudaiiee at'parades. "While we are meeting thorn in that way," he added, "we intend, on the other hand, to see that mors strict attention is paid to tho carrying out of the duties* which the (Act prescribes. We have t.welvo 'months allead of us new to spread tho parades over. Previously we had four months into which to cram six months' parades, and flwro was a lot of friction, i am hopeful that this year there will ba a decided improvement.

Between 70 and 80 youths wore brought before the area iiflictr at Woiithaggi (Victoria) the otiicr day to show causa why they had not iittcmie'.l the prescribed liumbsr of parades, as sat out by tho Do- , fence Act. Defendants offered" various excuses, the principal one being tlmt I hey could not get away from work. This was particularly the case in regard to the lads employed at tlio State mine. Some of tliem saiil that when they had gxit oft fov drill tho time tliey had thus lost had been deducted t'rojn' their earnings. The ollicer raid the parades would ba held on Saturday afternoons, and tha youths should notify their emplovers that they had to get oil". 'J.'he.v should let him know if they were prevented from attend- . ing the drill or were put off , for doing bo. ! If the lost parades were, made up at th« end of three months he would recommend that nothing further be dona in legaYd to them. One of the lads asked what they 'would got if they lost shifts. Tho area officer replied that it was uot fair for them that they should liavoto loso anytime. Jle had discussed tho ; matter' with the manager of the Stato mine, who had. told him that there was no necessity for tho boyis to loso time. If they owed drills they must make thorn up, and lie would r mako further representations to tlio manager. It. seemed that tho State wanted different treatment to private people, but ho would not make any difference. No ono had a right to penalise tho boys. If they did they wwo guilty of an ofi'enoo, and would l>e dealt witli. k

Australian aeronauts' arc now eligible for appointments in the Defence Department at .£4OO a year, states the "Ago.'' This is tho salary iixed by tho Minister for his new aerial staff, and it is to include all allowances except travelling. Moreover, tho Government will accept no liability for accidents, of whatever nature. Flying may not bo attractivo to the average man at this prico, especially; flying with experimental machines, but the Minister has been advised that welltrained aeronauts are available at th« figure—lf not in Australia, then, in Europe. He has accordingly directed that applications bo called throughout the Commonwealth and in Great Britain for, two, positions. Candidates must bo competent mechanics and aviators, and must state whether they have had military experience, whether they aro Australian born or domiciled in Australia, and: whether married or single. Tho last line of inquiry suggests that tho Minister haa an uneasy feeling thai whether ho will# or not ho will bo held liable for compensation, for accident, and that therefore ho would prafer his aviators to Ire aingl* men.

The new monatain gtth, with .which 0 Battery is to bo cqiupped, in a quicklire of 2.1)5 inches calibre. It is mad* of stail, and its weight, with breech- \ fittings, is IWUIb. It has a poroussion lira : mechanism. Tho cartridge is cither corw dilo or hollistite. Tho lullowing projeo-' tiles are used:—(l) Shrapnel, weight lzlb,, made of steel, containing 175 bullets—i this is a man-killing projectile; (2) common shell, weight 181 D., for destructive, effect on material; (3) cuso shot, con-' taining 355 bullets a man-killing shell at closa range; (4) a star shell for lighting up enemy's position at night. Tho tus» used is time and percussion fueo No. 10. The gun team consists of six mules lor. transport, namely, wheel and axo mule, a: carriage mule, a cradle mule,.a gun mule,, and two ammunition uiulos. The approximate weight carried by each mulo in 3101b. In moving along roads eparo shaftsi are carried, so that tlio gun can be put - together and transported on wheels, Thu cradle supports tho gun, and is providedwith two Hydraulic Duffers to check thet wren ol' "tho recoil. Tho gun is returned! to tho firing position by means of two, Spiral springs. Tho cradle rests on tho carriage. Tho gun is tlio saino as that! used in. Egypt by tho mountain artillery; there. Tho initial velocity is not groat, as it is more necessary with mountain guns to have a heavy shell in proportion. ■ to tho weight of gun than in any othor. • class of artillery.

"Extended Order Da-ill and the Company in Battle, with Questions aud Answers," by an Adjutant. Published by Galo and Poldon, Ltd., Aldorshot, London and Portsmouth. Price, Is. net.—A useful book, based on the system laid down in tho new edit.ioii.ol "Inlantry Training." Owing to tho extended formations now in vogue, tlio control of small units devolves to a far greater extent on subordinate commanders, and it brnomes necessary for junior lion-comnii.ssiouod officers to have some experience in battle formations, both in attack and defence. To company, section, and squad commanders the book will be invaluable, the duties of each being clearly defined, Notes oil the supply of ammunition in the field, scouting, and training in night operations —a subject which promi.se> to receivo greater attention in the future—:\ie included, also a chapter on advanced-guards. Tlio diagrams, particularly those >h<nving lira outpost signals, are :! welcome addition to the text. Question aud answers on tho whole subject are aNo embodied. To the Territorial Force, where can only be carried out to a limited extent, the book is strongly recommended ;is a reliable guido to this important subject.,

The Rot. J. E. WaHfvWitchfield, Vicar of St. James-lho-Ltt*, Bcthnal t'iix-vji, pl-arts for an Australian tow on Jl:uv!i 29. Sopaking on Sunday at tht> Utii aunivorsary of his mcnV nwtiiiL'. lio said that since its pomnuMicpment ii-arlv ■13,000 had juissml through llio limit!:; of tbu various clubs conmvtod' v.-ith (Im liioetin?. Bearing in miinl vhu tioii of tie district, this speaks volumes great .work doiio.