TO FACE THE ENEMY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1724, 15 April 1913, Page 6

TO FACE THE ENEMY.

A GUNNER'S STORY. HOW HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. (By Mjjnu Mkiie.) ' The gun peeps over the crest of the hill to the southward of Mount Victoria. Look straight up tho slope from Courtenay Place, and on tho sky-line can be discerned its jutting muzzle—a very silent watchdog of Wellington City for thirty years past. The city has grown much, what time the wheels of the gun-carriage have gradually sunk into earthen mounds. Its guardianship has proved a sinecure, except, in the shelter it gives to a riot of weeds from grazing horses. It was there on Saturday afternoon that I met the grizzled Gunner. Sadly lie was gazing ut this old dealer of death, now loaded to within a few inches of. tho muzzle with turf and rock—ammunition poured in by the passing decades of small boys. I joined him at the scene of sacrilege. Stamped in - monogram forward of the touch-hole of this ancient twentyfour pounder I could see the letters "G.R.," with the figure 3 intertwining tho G. The date of manufacture is recorded ap 1813—two years before Waterloo. "A real good old gun in your day—l was twenty odd years in the artillery, and know something about such things, ehr" The Gunner was addressing the gun. "And 'how did it get here?" Ho turned to me. "Well, we dragged it up here—more years ago than I care to remember. And it took over a week to do it, toiling night after night. From the old Barracks, we brought it when Whitmore, I fancy, was in charge of the Volunteer forces. Time of the Russian scare, it was. You," and he glowerefd at me as if I had been caught in an act of delinquency, "would not remember it." I begged to be excused. I said I did. It was in 1885 I reckoned. "You're older than you look, then," he replied, and forgiven of the crime of exceeding youth he became more genial towards me. "Guess we were scared that time—'the Russians were coming,' and tho militia roll was being called over. Men, women, and children, anyone with arms and legs, helped.with that gun up here. Up those slopes, look you," and the feeling of pride at that old-time achievement still, glowed. "We had nine purchases of rope on each side, with whole droves pulling, and the rest of the populace behind pushing—others were placing greased skids in front, and chocks .were nlaced behind each inch we gained. And "without killing anybody we got her un here, and she's done no killing since. "'Twas the wrong place, in my opinion, to put her, though; over yonder"—and he pointed to another kopje—"sho would have done service, commanding the entrance. Rum thing though, when we got her up here we found wo had no ammunition for her! She's a ship's gun, and 110 end of a good siege gun she fras reckoned in those days. She was our up-to-date weapon. Loaded with powder bags and shot well rammed home—none of your close-fitting shells. Effective at about a mile and a half—but no elevation, although at Badajos, they .used a similar sort of'gun after the men had made a breach, dropping shot over their heads, and backing up the assault else things might have been different." And then I heard much of guns— •Nordonfeldts: and Armstrongs. The Armstrong ho had found ever -true—"Ten shots at two miles—nine hits and an inner, a local record—and I don't think it's been battered to this day." Can you dispute it? I could net. "Givo 1110 a couple of your mountain guns," continued tho Gunner. "Let me mount '2111 where I will at Seatoun, and I'll guarantee to sink anything .at from six to seven, miles." I should say the Gunner is the sort of man the Defence authorities should bo looking for, but I was not impertinent enough to inquire his address. Tho Gunner stood, idly patting tho wea-ther-beaten and rusted armament—"Yes, this was all wo colonials could do when, the Russian war scare w;\s threatening. But things have xjnoved since those days. Your scare"—why mine in particular I don't know—"made you givo that"—and he pointed across to where th'o. H.M.S. New Zealand was just coming into view, slowly nosing her way to her anchorage— her half-hundred escorts—the white-hull-ed Government Steumeret, red-funnelled excursionist-carriers, . midpfct-like motorlaunches. and glistening, albeit scattered,' white-wings—limning a memorable picture. . Many moments passed as 'the Gunner made his survey. "You don't see much for your money from here," he broke the silence. With the volumes of smoke still issuing from two 'of her funnels arid enveloping the sliiD, I thought so too. His eyes were still clued 011 tlie drab grey and murky length of steel modernism. '"Not the thing of beauty the old warships were," he went 011, "in their white paint, or black with gold band. But her guns—they'll he something to look at/' and lot us hope he'll find theri something very much worth while. Wildly waving miniature Union Jacks a trio of hoys here captured the gun under the Gunner's very nose. One firmly spiked his flag in the touch-hole, preparatory to taking a leap at the gun a la the jumping horse in the gymnasium; the others peered down the barrel and then began to ddd their quc'ia cl' debris to its ooritent's, ramming their charges home-with tho Union Jacks.' The Gunner, was probably' saved from an apoplectic fit by tho arrival of tho lads' mothers. "I'm so glad our Dreadnought came in in sunshine." declared 0110 of 'them. "I'm so superstitious about all these thingsjust like weddings I think." Tho Gunner's anger phased to sarcasm. "Weddings!" he growled, still eyeing the vandals; "and she, I suppose," jerking his head towards the battfe-cruiscr. now swinging to tho 'tide, "is tho weddingring. I only hope felie gives you more for your money than our gun had a clianco of doing for our labours." And in high dudgeon, 110 picked up tho trail down tho gully. Going down-hill I met a scholastic-look-ing man: I was still thinking of that gun, the glorious self-reliant zeal which had planted it on that hill. One cannot know too much 011 matters so epochrilarking.- So, did he know anything of the old Canon? Up there. 1 pointed. Oh, yes, ho thought it had been used many years ago for signalling the noonday hour. Then he moved along; he was not so communicative or well-versed as the Gunner. Cheap timepieces were not of those days, and the early citizens must liavo wanted to knock off work promptly to push the heavy field-piece all the way up that slope. AVell seeing that the Bussians did not come, it was not, after all, a caso of "love's labour lost." s«* » ' Thoso who had braved the strong northerly on the heights cf Mount Victoria found the throng in tho ei'iy taking tho home-coming of their gift-ship very calmly.. Britishers are not of a volatile disposition,andastrong"starting culture" is needed before whole-souled joyous enthusiasm is aroused. , Red, white ami blue favours were to bo noticed here ami there; motor-cars' sported small Hags and streamers, while one carrier had hishorso decorated with a Union Jack. Shops worn closed and there were many of tho elements of,a general holiday, but the starting culture of festivity was wanting.' At the ferry wharves a denso crowd stood -stolidly staring out to at tho battleship; so quist aid peaceful were they that numberless seabirds perched tun perturbed on tho bollards of tho wool wharf adjue.it. Two steam launches from the battleship were gently swaying at tho man-of-war steps, firmly held in place by sturdilygrasped boat hooks. The crowd had not a word to say to tho bluejackets; the bluejackets—"H.M.S. New Zealand" oil tlicir caps, mind you—said not a word in turninstead they, witli a Quaker-iiko taciturnity, held on to their boat hooks, or slickly polished the brass-work. They were in' duty. One assumed a more reflective look after he had deftly transferred a quid of tobacco from his electroplated pouch to the .side of his check. ■ ' "What are they waiting for?" asked a woman, who had in her charge an appropriate por.-on at the welcrme—a four-year-old "boy in blue," with a golden-lettered "Queen Mary" on his can. "Dunno," replied a saturnine-looking mail.

But a mush-tooting motor-car which dashed up more completely answered the question. The crowd becamo animated ami swarmed round the car. Captain Halsey and an officer alighted. t "Send along tho captain's barge," called the officer from tho steps. "Ay, ay, sir," came the answer, as each bluejacket stood at the salute. The effect of the epaulets and goldbraided hats wa3 electric on the ladies. "Don't they look nice," they murmured. The officers departed for their ship, and the crowd resumed its phlegmatic placiuity, which was a little broken in ."Queen Mary's" vicinity when that embryo sailor sc-ized a. sweetmeat from a baby sister. "Queen Mary's" stock went down some points in the code of chivalry. ' "Why Don't you behave yourself, Teddy i" befeeched his mother. Teduy had behaved himself up to this sad breach cf etiquette, lie had the reputation ot those other Boys in Blue in his keeping— ho was tho tnly Jack ashore. "And why look so angry, Bill ?" a voice ruffled the en of quietude. "It's well you asks," quoth Bill. "Was on a car jus* now, an' giv' up me scat to an old lady, an' a woman pops her blessed kid into it. I sen to the old lady, ' 'Avo the seat.' She sed no, an' I sez I'd 'ave it meself agin. But the mother tole the btesed kid to keep it. I sed, 'Remove the kid,' A man in the corner sed, 'You doro touch 'im.' I touched 'im, though, ami 'ad me seat. Some words passed, an w'en I got off the car jus' 'ere I tolo the man to git off too and put 'em up, ail' I'd dust 'is coat fer 'im. I don't like swearin' or cuss words, but one thing I do like is a. jolly gtod row." "Quite right, Bill. Have you seen tho ship?" And they looked at the ship, tlm sight of which probably provided Bill with enough visionary battles. The remaining steam launch still rocked laziiy to and fro, and photographers pushed and pressed everywhere to gain vantage points for their pictures of the Governor's arrival. None of them obliged the company by falling into the sea from their perilous perches. Another motor car slid to tho steps. Two officers in military uniform stepped into the launch, and his Excelleucy followed them. With an emblematic flag at the bow—the Union Jack, with a centre-piece of theletters "N.Z." in fern fronds—the launch sped to the grey cruiser, leaving the crowd. to silent waiting once more. An occasional authority could be heard on gunnery, or on Boyal Standards and ensigns. "See that' Hag at the stern? Well, that's the naval ensign. When it's on land, they call it the Union Jack." . . . "Like to know what they think of our harbour. Fifth' best in the world. I say it is tho best, myself. Narrow-en-trance, deep, and .landlocked,, you know. Couldn't have been made better to order. l)ue to volomic eruption, you know." . .- . "Them guns don't look much from 'ore, I allows,'but close at 'and, w'y a man sittin' 011 'em looks 110 bigger than. a monkey!" , Otherwise a general calm pervaded all. They, waited for the Royal salute. Once the guns, port and starboard, had blazed and banged, putting the 'gulls on. the v Railway Wharf to flight, and the Governor, after a decorous salute to the midshipman in charge of the launch, had departed per motor-car, tho crowd crept silently away. "When does tho 'New Zc-alar.der' como ashore?" was a query. And perhaps his arrival en masse -will prove the starting culture for that enthusiasm which was so latent 011 Saturday. For bravo and gallant as the officers cf the King's Navy aro recognised to be, it is Jack, the Handy Man, for whom the public has a place in 11ie warmest cornel of its heart. [Note.—ln regard to tho Gunner's narrative, a glance back at the Anglo-Rus-sian incident of 1885 is interesting. England was passing through a trying period of trouble with the Mahdi in tho Sudan, and the death of General Gordon at Khartum had just stirred tho Empire. Towards the end of February of that year Russia becamo embroiled in a dispute with Afghanistan, then England's ally, and ijlfairs on tho Afghan frontier assumed such a critical aspect that war betwoen ;thn tw;o great Powers seemed inevitable. Tho cable news service to New Zealand in those days was very scanty, but the messages coming through wereominous enough' to cause a widespread feeling of uneasiness throughout tho colony. Militia enrolment was vigorously prosecuted, a section of tho Act, worthy of note these latter days, providing, "Any man who is culled out may, with the approval, of tho commanding officer, provide a substitute, and if thu substitute is accepted the original man is exempted for a year." The newspaper press severely criticised the defences, of the colony; the arms were out of date, and of pattern "discarded by the civilised nations." Every effort was made to put tho house of defence in orderfortifications were overhauled and extru guns mounted at points coveriug/varioils harbour entrances. The.great fear expressed was that privateers would be fitted out by Russia at San Francisco to : raid tho South Pabific for loot. "Tho problem now urgently requiring solu-. tion," wrote a correspondent to a Wellington paper, "is how to prevent it Russian man-of-war entering the harbour and destroying tlie city. Tho Government should at once . . . lay down a number of torpedoes in tho channel, and let the fact be telegraphed all over the world, so that the Russians may pause, and consider the consequences before making the attempt to enter. . . Torpedoes or other similar explosives may bo employed from above as well as below. For tnis purpose a number of balloons should bo procured, and stationed some 011 each side of the entrance, and as soon as a cruiser entered tho channel a balloon should bo, sent aloft from whichever side the -wind was most favourable, and when it got right above tho ship the aeronaut in charge could drop a package of dynamite on board, and sink her. . . . Thus between torpedoes'below and dynamite above, the Russians would have a rough time of it." "Anti-Funk" counselled coolness, and confidence in' the Defence authorities.]

Lehar's opera "The Count of Luxembourg" will bo staged for the first time in Australasia at His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, this evening. The cast is as follows;— Count Rene of Luxembourg. W. Talleifl: Andrews; .Grand Duke Rutzinov, AV. S. Percy; Brissard Phil Smith (his first appearance in Australia); Registrar, Charles Albert; Mons. de Tressac, Edmund Sherras; Mons. de Valmont. Cecil Outtrim; Mons. Gerardy, Edward Wynne; Juliette, Sybil Arundale; Countess IvokozelT, Celia Gliiloni; Mimi, Violet Collin•son; Cointesse Taliiakowska, Reno Connolly; Coralia, Nance Maunsell; Flcurctte, Peggy Benson; Marquis de ChateauNeuf, Mollie 13eardc; Rosalie, Alice liennetto; Angele Didier, Florence Young. Doctor—"And lioiv are the children thi? morning, Mrs. .Murphy?" Mrs. Murphy —AVell, sorr, I gave them tho physic you sent, and the oiildist is very bad indade this morning, sorr, but it doesn't seem to have done much harm to the other two yet I" .