OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Evening Star, Issue 3285, 30 August 1873, Page 2

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

We continue our suggested regulations for increasing the efficiency of the force. CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONS. Candidates for commissions will be required to pass satisfactorily the following examinations Artillery. —Lieutenants : Gun drill, that in use by the corps; the use of sights and projectiles ; fixing and fitting shell and boring fuzes ; making and fitting cartridges ; detailing the duties of a detachment in action, in changing rounds; squad and company drills (Parts 1 and 2, Infantry Field Exercise Book); manual and firing exercises. Note.—Musketry instruction, so far as position and aiming drills, and carrying on the rifle practice. Captains. —The same as for Lieutenant, and in addition the evolutions of a battery; the construction of the various projectiles, fuzes, (fee. Rifles. —Lieutenants ; Squad and company drill (Parts 1 and 2, Infantry Field Exercise Book); manual, firing, and bayonet exercises. Note.—Musketry Instruction, so far as position and aiming drifts, and carrying on the rifle practice. Captains.-— The same as for Lieutenant, and in addition battalion drill, duties of picquet and guards, and sentries. Coast or Harbor Defence.— Lieutenants : Squad and company drill (Paris 1 and 2, Infantry Field Exercise); manual and firing exercises; musketry instruction, so far as position and aiming drills and carrying on the rifle practice; heavy gun drill—that in use by the corps; the use of sights and projectiles ; fixing and fitting shells and boring fuzes ; making and filling cartridges. Captains. —The same as for Lieutenants, and, in addition, cutlass drill; the construction of the various projectiles and fuzes; mounting and dismounting guns. No officer will be gazetted in the Harbor defence who has not served at sea, and must pass an examination in seamanship. Engineer officers will qualify the same as rifle officers. No person will be gazetted in the Engineers who is not an engineer by profession. Examinations will be conducted by a board of officers, assisted by the adjutant of the perma nent staff. Candidates may, while qualifying themselves for the 'duties pf respective ranks, receive acting appointments, and* holding such shall exercise the same authority as though they were permanently appointed'; and no person shall hold an acting appointment for a longer period than six months. When an officer resigns his commission, and at the same time receives another not involving promotion, he will retain the date of his former commission. Ap officer holding a substantive commission 1 will take precedence of all officers holding acting commissions of the same rank. Officers wifi be penrptted to pass tfye examination for senior rank, ana wilt he granted qgi,: tificates. They will wear a star embroidered on the sleeve of the right arm above the braiding of the cuff, and their names will be published in the Gazette. The letter P will bo attached to their names in the army list. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. The non-commissioned officers will be appointed by the officer commanding the corps. All promotions to the non-commissioned rank will be published in general orders. Non-commissioned officers will be required to pass an examination by the adjutant of the permanent staff and the officer commanding the corps. Non-commissioned officers who qualify as musketry instructors, jvilj rank as senior sergeants of their corps, " , Non-commissioned officers may he reduced, on the recommendation of the officer commanding the corps, by the officer commanding the district, for any sufficient cause. Non-commissioned officers will have the privilege of passing for commissions, and will be granted certificates : they will wear a star, embroidered on the sleeve above the chevrons, and their names will be published in the Gazelle. LOCAL STAFF. Conjmissipned jpd non-commissioned officers of the paid permanent staff wi)l be jinfler the orders of the officer commanding fite district/' The appointment, promotion, arid discharge of non-commissioned officers rest with the officer commanding the force; and all persons serving for pay with the Volunteer force shall take the oath of allegiance, and subscribe to the declaration of voluntary service, and be subject to ail regulations for the discipline of the force. Instructors of the rank of non-commissioned officers are not to take command of any por tion of the force except for the purposes of instruction. Such orders as they may convey when corps will always be directed by the senior officer present with the corps. An instructor is not to be employed in holding or disbursing the funds of the corps to which he is attached. The duty of an instructor is to attend to” the drill and pis jd fiction and returns of the corps to which he is attached also, at the discretion of the commanding: officer, be entrusted with the custody of the arms, ammunition, and clothing of the corps. A diary of the duties performed by a noncommissioned officer instructor while attached to a corps will be forwarded with the monthly parade state to the head-quarters orderly room, signed by the senior officer of the corps. Officers and non-commissioned officers of the staff will be changed every five years.

ARMS, ACCOUTREMENTS, AND CLOTHING. Apis, accoutrements, and clothing will be issued to corps on the requisition of the officer coinmanding' the corps free to the full mppbof of the enrolled member a, ' All arpis, ppntis: raents, guns, and other stores and uniform under three years in wear remain the property of the Government; and the commanding officer for the time being is held responsible for their being, at all times, in a serviceable state, and for their being returned into store, when required, in good condition, fair wear and tear excepted. The arms and other Government property will be inspected in the last quarter of each year by the adjutant, who will charge all deficiencies against the capitation grant. A Volunteer on quitting his cops, either on discharge, dismissal, or resignation, shall deliver up to tip pfficcr commanding or such person as he may appoint, at thp headquarters of the corps, all Government property in hjs possesion; failing to do so, within fourteen days, will bo proceeded against for having Government property unlawfully in his possession. Transfers from one corps to another, or from one district to another, will be entitled to take their arms, accoutrements, and clothing with them.

AMMUNITION. Ammunition in the following annual propfciT tions, to be reckoned from the Ist April i» each year, is allowed to Volunteer corps of the several arms without payment:—Artillery and Harbor Defence, per gun, 30 rounds shot and shell, 20 rounds blank. Artillery, Engineers, Rifles, and Harbor Defence—Rifle ball ammunition, per man, 60 rounds, class firing ; 10 rounds, volley firing; 10 rounds skirmishing; 10 rounds file firing; 50 rounds for practice. Blank —2O rounds for practice.