TERRITORIALS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 16, 2 January 1912, Page 2

TERRITORIALS.

NUMEROUS NOTF£S ON MANY MATTER^. (From tlic “Canter.imry Times.”) Although the impi Ovocl pattern of rifle for our army is likely to be an immense advance on i lie present LeoEnficld, which is the weakest military rifle now in use amongst first-class Powersj it is doubtful), owing to certain minor alterations!that are under consideration whether ttlie now weapon will be issued for sonlie time (says the “Broad Arrow”), a Bid then only a limited number will /bo served out for trial to certain regiments. The new cartridge .is said t<Ji be slightly disappointing, and the? trajectory of the bullet is not so nat As was anticipated. Last spring 'through \the courtesy of a military o:\pcrtftliercfeted in the manufacture' of the new .bullet, we were enabled to give details Vvbich it is unnecessary to repeat. Tlhe militarycorrespondent of a prominent lay uxjvLpaper, however, describes the bul'let as “liable to turn on striking' a so\j’t object,” and so inflict what he calls 'a “side-ways” wound. Our information does not coincide with this statement' for on striking a hard substance such as bone, the bullet turns on its point in varying degrees, according to the resistance offered. It is, therefore, capable of inflicting a very nasty wound in pasing through the human body. No doubt the sentimentalist will say that the employment of the bullet is resorting to “methods of babarism,” and will want to refer the matter to the Hague Convention. Bo that as it may, the bullet on striking a bone, a button, or even a still leather licit, turns on its point and “keyholes,” as , the experts call it. ff fired at a plank it will be seen that the perforation made is similiar to a key-hole, about an inch and a quarter long, so that our possible enemies have an unfortunate experience to look forward to.

The announcement that a log book of the Victory had come, into the market, and would be sold at Messrs Sotheby’s could hardly have surprised anyone who has interested himself in the logs of old men-of-war (says a writer in the “Army and Navy Gazette.” Sometimes as many as four or five copies of the same log of a ship have turned up. The reason for this is clear. Events of the day as they were made were entered on a log slate or board by one of the junior officers and afterwards copied off by the master and one of his assistants soon after the end of a watch or during the course of the day. Then perhaps a week afterwards or earlier the master made a fair copy from the rough log, which was just a copy of the log state. Naturally,. he omitted in his fair copy those ; matters which for some reason or another he then thought to be rebundant. This fair log again was used as a copy by the captain’s writer, by the lieutenants and by any other officers who were obliged by the regulations to keep a log or journal. Many of these logs and journals are in the Record Office but the fait log is always regarded as the official record. The book which has now turned lip is tile rough log of the Victory, and is interesting because it contains. a fe)v signal's which are .not in the fair'copy which Mr. Atkinson made from it. ''

■ ; The,.“Franc tMilitaire” gUfeS'.admission to an article*.concerning the use of aeroplanes in the manoeuvres in Eastern Franco, which is calculated to bring the conception of the value of these craft into right proportions. The writer admits; that the subject is delicate, but he asserts that imagination plays a delicate part in estimating p the , value- of f.>th©tvaeroplanes. He knows that these craft have astonished likely, to asst onish us much'nVpr.e:.,,. There can lie no doubt of jdio ;f)p|dncss and cppyage . of the pilots, and ' n ‘ too vcan scarcely be asked) from them; Their duties are great and .important* and they have, the high courage ,of enthusiasm. The aviators have captured the public imagination, but the young pilots must not be flattered into thinking that they can win battles, as the artillery used to think. The writer in Hie “France Alilitaire” has studied the services of the aeroplanes minutely, and says that instead of ascertaining that they have won battles,it would be well to ask if and how could they could assist to win them. The latter is the best point to be considered in the future (says a Home authority). Their object is to discover the situation of the enemy, but information is good and bad, the good being that which influences the decision of the chief. Cavalry officers have spent long years in learning how to gather this useful information, and yet they do not always possess the confidence of their chiefs. It is to be imagined that the commander of an army or an army corps on the field of battle will accept with blind faith the information brought by an aviator. His personal responsibility is likely to forbid this. In manoeuvres operations are undertaken on the receipt of relatively doubtful informattion, but the same is not the case in war. In short, the critic thinks that aviators have yet to gain the confidence of their chiefs, and not to exaggerate their functions. An article in the “Vedette,” which

is the military supplement of the “Fremdenblatt,” points that AustriaHungary posessos at the present time 30 field guns to each infantry division 12 of them being field howitzers. The howitzers for the Honved divisions are not yet ready. Germany has 72 field guns to each infantry division and when the French artillery has been increased, the French Army will also have 72 field guns to a division. In Russia the number is 60 or more and in Italy of. The writer points out that if division met division the Austrians would undoubtely he in a difficult situation. It has'also to be remembered that Austria-Hungarian divisions are stronger in infantry than those of the other great Powers. The writer of the article therefore concludes that the relative strength in guns may be estimated as 1 to 2. He discusses the subject at great length, and concludes that protected positions, telephones and the now sights, as well as advances that are foreseen give much advantages to a superior artillery. The lire power is greater, and the freedom of handling is less restricted. It is pointed out that the great expenditure upon the fleet is ikely ' o bo detrimental to the necessary increases of the artillery and the suggestion is therefore made that an “artillery society or league should lie created to instruct public opinion and appeal for necessary sunplies.” The suggested league should point out that a strong artillery will spare tho troops in the fields thousands and thousands of lives.