Defence Notes.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 116, 20 May 1904, Page 4

Defence Notes.

the tactics and ariuaIHPm* cavalry, an officer writing to l|Hft Army and; Navy Gazette makes HHweral suggestions. He would (1) HS&tnthe front rank with a straight for thrusting (or a lance) and Hfcrevolver, and train the men in the Bp: of these weapons'; (2) arm the rank with a. sword and rifle,and pfean iWi to use both. The BusnHui Lancers and Hussars, he says, Hjnttvp -lance, sword and revolver in front rank ; sword, and carbine Efe. the rear rank ; (3) he would train nine," front rank to be expert in scouin which it would be employed EsgprmaJly, and the rear rank in fight■Hßg- dismounted, or if expedient, in ■Hppog-from the 9addle. In the occacharge, whether against unBjp|roken troops or in pursuit, both Ksjanks would' normally use the arme Kwanche, with the alternative use of Bow-firearm When appropriate. Thin E||tt-angement, the correspondent says, jgpyould furnish in the same unit sepaBg|&te rank&,of men expert in one or Hljmd. other of the functions now so ll&rongly advocated for modern caralBBffiy. would, at the same time, the elan so essential in that jpjlpft as cavalry; The lance might he jipffffeained .in the front rank af the BBbiiriJy lancer regiments, but withgprawn from others. »iFor some time past the cavalry exw'th, Sir John French at their Rpietni, have been considering the degpigrability of thtrtxftjcing a/now pat,of sabre into the British army, SgNid after much tliscussion it has jsbeen decided to adopt, at any rate "for experimental use, a weapon that an entire departure from re3«ent traditions. The sabre hitherto Ssln use was adapted only for cutting ; Uhe ew one is perfectly straight in ? the blade, and is designed for thrustLing only. This obviously implies £ something little short of a revolu-j-tion in the mental haibits of the or,'dhiary trooper, but it is probable '■that most swordsmen will recognise Cthat a cavalry charge delivered by . men armed with the new weapon will tgain immensely in effectiveness and accuracy. The new sabre is nearly ,11b lighter than the old, weighing iwtely over 21b, and its principal dii'mensions are as follows Length of 'blade, 34|in, he sharpened point exf tending for 15iri, width Jin at hilt 'r to |te near point: The section of the * Wade at the hilt is T-shaped, the ;; rib, of course, gradually disappeartowards the point. The handle (9 deflected slightly downwards, and Sfehaa a small projection or boss on fcjthe inside, excellently designed to ieive greater firmness of grip. The pftMfore, it is understood, will be is- £ Wed for trial, and probably forfinadoption, to the cavalry at Aldei-ijf-Bbot and the Curragh. The result of f thq experiment will be watched with 5 thet greatest interest, even by those 1- extremists who think that cavalry dispense with swords altogether.