AN AUSTRIAN CAPTAIN ON THE RUSSIAN NAVY.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 99, 25 April 1885, Page 3

AN AUSTRIAN CAPTAIN ON THE RUSSIAN NAVY.

He Ridicules the Russian Fleet. During the visit of the Mayor and Alder* men of Sydney to the Austrian man-of-war Saida, now lying at Sydney, the con« versation with her Commander not unnaturally turned upon the somewhat " parlous times " in which we are living, and the result of what Captain Fayenz said must have a decidedly diminishing rather than magnifying tendancy upon any apprehensions at present entertained of a visit to Australia by Russian cruisers. The " Evening News" says : "In the first place, as to this powerful Kussian fleet reported in various places, from the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Howe, with a misty appearance at Backstairs passage, Captain Fayenz simply laughed consumedly at the notion of there being anything to fear about it. The vessels comprising it are small, and old-fashioned (he saw some of them himself at the Cape), and the Nelson alone could blow the whole lot out of the water 'and even,' said the captain, 'if the gentlemen of the Nelson happened not to be in Port Jackson, and the Russians run the gauntlet of your batteries, and got into your harboui (which they might do at night), they would be very useful to you afterward for commercial or other purposes, for they would never get out again.' The captain evidently thinks that, despite our batteries, there should be no great difficulty in any steamer dodging them so far as to get inside them ; but, as he says, that would be all the worse for the steamer. But on the Anglo-Russian question Captain Fayenz and several of his officers went even further than this, and said plainly that they did not think Russia meant fighting iH the long run, but was merely bullying as far as she could go, knowing that a constitutional governed nation like Britain will always make peace even at the last moment if her enemy gives indications of a fair desire for peace."

Wellington, Apiil 22. Changes in Volunteer Regulations. It is the intention of the Defence Minister to amend the Volunteer Kegulations. I here will be three branches of the service, the first being gariison volunteers in towns, with a capitation of £3 per man ; the second, country corps, with £1 11 s per man; the third will be honorary reserve corps. Honorary corps will be under the same regulations as garrison volunteers, but without capitation. Honorary reserve corps will be allowed to frame their own regulations, but they will have to be approved by the Defence Minister in each case. The Government will supply the necessary arms The regulations ar.6 framed so as to allow each compat.y to increase its strength to 100, bub capitation Mill only be paid for the present maximum for each town corps, and 50 for country. Aa the number of parades which country corps have to attend to qualify for capitation has been found to press very hard on some of the Volunteers, the number of parades has been fixed as six, two-thirds of which have to be attended before qualifying for capitation. Messrs Levin and Co. received a cable from London confirming the news that the Coptic has been chartered as a cruiser by the Admiralty. The Coptic is to come on to Wellington without delay, discharge all cargo here, and await orders from Home.