War Notes

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 86, 7 September 1914, Page 7

War Notes

WILL 1-IIE ■(JEKAUXS-i'CT TO

SKA?

Will the main (.'ermaii, fleet ■ cowo out-? " IVifrtio'r fleets seldom do ?o u,,; loss forced by starvation or'the threatened capture, of their Sports by hostile armies, milo.s.i, indeed, they have {rood reason to suppose tluit. the fleet superior on paper is really inferior.in its com-! niaiiderraml gunhcrs, as the? Austrian; Admiral Tegcttou" proved to he the ease when he defeated the--.ltalian lice); oij I.iasa in 1536. ' Shou'd the. main Git-'' man fleet c<mV otit it can' ra-ilv be believi/d that, the,:conflict which would: follow: wouty.-be, by far the ; most Uvnicmlous oyer fought .on ' the. sea. . it iimybe compared ldu-'hiy 'with th«'. battles of 'Santiago (ISOS)'' and Tsushima (UK).".),, by, iUking the total number ' c> armored ships present,, the -heavy'.guns (10-inc!i 'or' over) mounted, and their Jot»l inn:-:/.'.. inenjy, "' ' " '

Kesidoß priding themselves upon,the quality of ; .their' Iyn'ipp -naval "inns'the (!(.r:i;an.s ha-vr -b(.a).Co)ivJn-.":(t:o- f the h-i----pcriot ,-;;;lWiiri'liine.ss oi their Dreadnoughts, and' it. is true that in Janiuiry, l!il2, the Orion, our first ship to cany )3.5-iii(-h gnhsi ro'led very lu'avily crossing the Kay of 'lSis-.'ay, .but the :Of ion and later : ships have'since i«n fitti-.1. with 'larger bilge keels or .with ki:Hrolliug tanks. In November. ISJI2, the Tliunderer. ■■• s'-tor ship to the Orion, went to the. Xorth oi -Ireland' and patiently waited for a spell of very rough weather; I'lr.oir.thtf arrival .of which sue went into the \vor.--t -of it, with Sir I'ercy Scotl'.s ."fire director," r.ud th--ro and then made, forty-one luts oirt of lil'tv shots at a rartL'e of ten thousand yards.

The (lernian Dre.idncimhts rrovid."! for in l;i«0-l() Were copied from the British designs of !i:t)8, their 1-111 ships followed the Oiion dc-ign of ll'O:), w'.ii'e their 1813-H .-hips are evideiulv copies; of the Queen Klizabeth of the British 1I)W Est mates. '"

TKTUiiCIIAD.

Tin- c hanging of the , K?:ni-Teutonie name of the tity of St. Petersburg to Pctrngrad al!Y<rds rloi|iu-iii testimony of 'the antipathy of the Russian mini! today to evory'ihing that is German. St.. Petersburg'.* foundations were laid in 17!!:} wii'ii Peter the Great was Czar. The new naii'e of Pctregr.id i.i entirely itussian, and'signilies '"Peter the Great." and therefore the memory- or" the i'.l'.i.:trious warrior will imt s.iil'er in any. way hy tin- chang". Peter the First. surname;! The Great, was born at Moscow in 1D72, mill, ilji'd in 17i>. • -Hi« character exhibits a slntnge iougct'ic of opposed (jii.ilitie'-. According to some writers, he "knouted" Russia into civilisation: oth"is see in him t'.ie true "father of'his eo'.inUT'-'ini.l the founder of Russian greatness. He wan a man of great genius. ■ Although frequently cruel on many oe.asions'. lie showed humanity and tcridi rnc-s, and even his most violent fits of temper wan amenable to adviee. Ail Russia seems but-the monument of this strange, colossal man. He lidded As provinces 'to her dominions, gave her an outlet upon two s-eas, a regular army trained in European tactirsin lieu of tin; disorderly militia previously existing, a licet and a inval academy,' and, besides liics". galleries of painting*- and si-ulptiin- and libraries. The tit'e of "deal" cannot y.iMy lie refused such a man, and I{n.-sia"s capital, in ■lionorintf him, also honors herself. The whole woild will hope tint tin; adoption of a n.-v.- name for the set of Government wii! mark the birih of. a (.•'can, just and democratised Kus•lia. Given wise and progressive legislation, there is no reason why ihn ni!!!'iii.v Ku-sian Empire—to b-. mightier tstill when the present war is ended—should not attain to that high standard of development and prosperity so enthusiasticalu claimed for it by that eminent traveller-author, Mr. .r. Foster Fiaser.

CRKECK AX I) TUIKEy

THEIR XAVAI-, TORCT.S. The Crook flttef. wlikii may bo called ujnm to light tin' Turkish squadrons in tliL" near future, was strong enough 1o confine the Turkish ships to. the J)ir-rituu-lleu during the last, JhiJkan war, hut it would be in a tight corner if it had to face the battlc-eruiser Goebru "•'.•ll-handl'jd. Greece has two modem

ships, the armored cruiser G.orgio AveroiF, and tile light ■cruiser known provisionally as X, acquired f;\>m China recently, just before delivery hy the American builders. 'file Gcorgio Avtro!T is it 11.!5ti-tou 23-knot ship, fairly heiivily. armored and carrying four 0.2inch and eight 7.0-inch guns 113 a main armament. The Xis a --'tiUO-t'ou- ±.*.ol<not cruiser armed with two (i-iiieil and four -1-inch guns. Three small battleships, built in ISSiI andve-instructed between 15.7 iU'.il ll'l''- 1 . 'ally e;i"h three M.ij-inch gur.s of an old type and live o.ii-ineh guns. About twenty torpedo (.raft, three submarines and n few old ttunboafj complete the ilfcctive Greek l!wt.

Turkey has the 2ix, 'l'j-ton, 27-knot (ioeben, heavily armored and carrying ten 11-inch, twelve 5.!)-huh and twelve li.-l-iiieh guns. This battle-cruiser, in tho hands of a competent crew, and protected from torpedo attack by cruisers and destroyers, could destroy tint who'e Greek navy without danger to herself. The Turks have aho the cx-G?rman Breslan, the h'uinidich and the Mcdjidieii, three fast modem cruisers, two useful torpeilo gunboats fried about, twenty torpedo craft of s'.Tvioeah:o types.' The Turks makj poor seamen, lint on this ijecasion they may have the assistance of German otiiceis and blue-

rOMPOSITIOX 01' AItMIES.

TIIK cOSl'l'lUX F.XI'LAINED. There teems to In; a oood ileal of misI conception rcjianlintf tin' terms, of armv (iv^;iui-:i'i ; .!):i Unit co i:r -<> frequently in tin' cable iii"s-.Ji:es. iiinl the opportunity may Pi'; laki-xi lii're to v\plaiii vll'v lir.'f|y ivhat some of these terms mean, The [three main amu of the r-ervi.-e arc ■:'• fsisitry, ..avalry and artillery. Tin: oth'.'r branches," tin.' nmnntct infantry, cyclist--, . nyii-cers an,] so forth, need not, I n-.i lered jn-L now. Tin' i:ii.i!i'!-n sy.-icm of c.munml provides fw virion's the niVcix v.i each jirade controllim; tin' units lie'o'.v it. A lieu cuant-i-idoncl. for install.',-, ma;,, I)" in charge of a :_'ro,ip of cijrit ci.ilinaiii''.-. each of whieli is under a captain, infantry is ouaimoiiiy orpaiii-'.'d into companies', companies into batht!inns am! battalions into ren'tments. t'avalrv is organised in.lroupSv squadnm" ami Artillery'is orchids', din Latteries ami groups o'f Latteries.

A brigade iif infantry, cavalry ami artillery' in the command of n general ollicer. ' Two or mora brigades, ami artillery form a division, iuid two or more

divisions, with what, ate cal'crt "corns

troops," 'mi army corps. : A brigade almost invariably consists V)i one aim.only. The liriush■'infantry brigade consists of the brigadier ami hi'? stall, four battalions of. infantry anil the medical and admiiiislrati\e'"imils. tile total strength being about 4(KX), In I'ruiice and (iormaity the brigade usually includes six. battalions, or two regiments, and the strength is about (i.'.,'.). In cavalry it may be'eonvenient to estimate four s.]judrons to a regiment, and two. Koiuetimcs tareo. regiment.- to a brigade. An artillery brigade in i'rance or tormany would consist of not less than two regiments of six latteries each. A division contains troops of ill! arms, f.'erniany. a.ssigna as many as seventy." two guns to a division, ISrjlain .lil'tv-foitr liold guns,, twelve field howitzers and four heavy guns. The l'.iitish' division numbers about lo.O!)!) combatants.

Tiiis general note may b • supplemented by more detailed notes taken from the Statesman's Year Hook:

L'ritain.—ln war time tin'' bulk of the regular army at Home is converted into the "Kxpeditionary Fonc." Thj s eouBists of a cavalry division, six divisions and certain "arijiy troops" and liny of communication troops, with a dotal strength of about Miu.DOli. A cavalry division consists of four cavalry brigades of throe regiments each, two linrse artillery brigades, four engineer troops, one signal squadron ant four signal troops, one aeroplane squadron, on,' cavalry train and four Held ambulances. The total strength of the cavalry division U 4SO oliicers, 11110 other ranks, H),l!lj horses, 24 guns. A division consists <j! three infantry brigade:-, four (icld artillery brigades,' on. 1 heavy battery, one ammunition column, two companies of engineers, one signal company, one squadron of cavalry, one aeroplane squadron, one divisional train, three (icld ambulances; total, fills oliicers, 1.5.0T.-i other ranks, lillil hoi Ye,<, 70 guns.

Franco.—Nineteen army corps. The. army corps consists of two divisions, -or four brigades, or eight infantry rogi-rm-iits, or forty-eight battalions, with thirty batteries totalling 120 guns, or, under war pressure, 1-14 guns. Then! are in addition eighty-four heavy guns. The cavalry- division con-ists of three brigade.; of two regiments each, w'iUi twelve guns (horse iirtillery). The strength of tile eavalry uivision would 1 e about -4-700. Tlie nineteen iinny corps total 800,000 combatants and the reserves total about 500,61Ki.

Germany.—-Twenty-live army corps. The army corps consist-- of two divisions, or four brigades, or eight regiments, or forty-eight battalions. With reserves culled to the. colors, the army corps would have six brigades i,i-tti-ad of four. Each division has ah artiller, brigade of-twelve batteries, and a regiment, or four squadrons, of cavalry. Each army corps also hai four batteries of howitzer.-. The war strength of an army corps would he about -RUHR] combatants.

THE TRIPLE AIXIA-XCJ-.

A hrief outline of the history of the Tripl" Alliance shows the position in which Italy stands to-day. The ori- | ginal Triple Alliance arose out nf the j itnaty oUceled by Bismarck- ■between Austria and Germany in 1-W. This was an absolute nlli.iniv, 1 ot'i olfcnsivci and j defensive, between those two countries, ] and directed solidv- against Russia. The I '7O treaty followed hard upon the Treaty of lierliii. of 1878. when Germany was j the main cause of the tearing up of the ! Treaty of San Stefano. on which the ; territory wrested from the Turks by Russia, Roiimania and liulgaria was < handed back to the Porte. For four. i years this Ausi.ro-Gorman alliance held ,j good, until Italy ipiarrelled with fiance j over the annexation of Tunis by- France. , It was this act bv France which drove , Italy to allv herself with her old enemy, ; Austria, with the result that the Triple | Alliance was signed in INS2. l-'roin the ) very lirst. howver, it has never been : an absolute alliance. Thai of 'T'.l be- j tv.en Austria and Germany is embodied i in the Triple Alliance and, still held ; good, as between those two countries: j and against Russia, but Italy's oblig.v j thins, even under the original Triple A.l- j liance of 'B2, did n,ot involve, her :)jl ,j actual war unless Austria and Germany I were attacked by, both France anil dius-.l sia. Italy has never h:ul any iiljliga- | (ions at all'under tlie Tripl* Alliance | in the. case, of either Austria oi' Gmx j ncaiiy; lk-coming the Aggressor.' The ill- | liance pi' 'B2 was made for live years, i and inISS7 w.isneurly allowed; in lapse, \ Italian-French rclatimis'h.iH been #Vo-.\>,'j ing mqre cordial ea'eb ycai'. '■ 'The re- ■ vival. -however,., ni i-ll'uctod,,,-, lnijt. .((11 j terms which have l(een jdesc'rilicii as ] more! lavoirable:.to' Itillyi,.tylicV in jthij. j meantime, had ii'sb Yost.e'fcd the 'lfibstH Fi-iemjly rcliitiiui?hips,xyitii lkritaiiK' J.i. j LSOI the -Fiipl.','.A-lliitiKe ,Miis 1-2 icars. and again for the the same ] period in 1002. In 1!H:{. the Triple Al- I liance was again rinewed. and tile stir- I ring developments since then appear to j indiCj'ate thaf Italy's original terms of J entrance into it had become clouded over j

in the - minds, at least of tiennr.iiy and Austria.

TH 1.0 _\'lo\V SAMiIAX ADMIXISI'tIATOK

COLONEL I.OIi.VXV;<'AI!KKi:.

CiCoiud Robert the oilier in command of the Xew Zealand forte 'iw i. Samoa, and the new administrator, ves i formerly a fanner in Ontral Ota:;o. He appears alwa.'.s to have taken a keen interest in military matters, and early in I'.WO formed the Mnniototo .\loiM!+--l Rifles. In June, UNli, lit- was yazoUcd a major, and in .Tune, IMS, was mtule a lieutenant-colonel, and was placed in .command of the lirst battalion of fie 'Otago .Mounted Hides lirigade. Suhsc'iiuently. Colonel Logan visited- Kurfand, where lie underwent a course of training at his own expense with a view to cqui]e ping himself thoroughly for liis position in the volunteers. While at Home ho was attached to an lmnerial regiment, il'von.liis return to XW Zealand, and on itluv inception of the defence scheme, he took command of the sth Rciqmoiit of the Otajro Hussars. When Colonel Wolfe vacated liis position as Oilicer Commanding tli<> Auckland ..Military District to become Adjutant-General of the Defence Forces. Colonel Abbot, who was then m | Kiitt'lanil, was npnointed to the vacancy. Colonel Abbot, however, died on the journey to -\c\v Zealand, and on June 27, i 11)12. Colonel l.o»an assumed control of ] the district. Colonel Logan is regarded as the iuo.-l'popular district commander in Xew Zealand, bis popularity uxtending equally to officers and men.

The ex-Covcinor of Samoa, who surrendered to Colonel Logan, and is being sent to Fiii. is Dr. Schult/,.

PLENTY OF ammi.xitiox. DECTBIOX OF ATTTIOEITIES. SHIPMENTS ON TKAXSPOUTS, TRACT!. E DURING VOYAGE,

A large quantity of ammunition will be carried on the transports for tho New Zealand troops, and some particulars are ! contained in a pamphlet, giving "general ! instructions for the guidance \if all ■] ranks," whi'li Has been issued ny the Defence Department, for the information of | the expeditionary force.

The following musketry appliances will be placed on each transport in charge of the adjutant:—(l) Landscape targets and screens: (2) spare ball ammunition; {','•) miniature figure targets; (-1) aiming discs; (5) grouping rings; (li) aim: corrcctcrs; (-7) aiming rests: (S) dummy cartridges; (!() targets and wire for towing same: (10) supply of oil and liannelette. Forty thousand rounds of small arms ammunition are to be placed on each transport for musketry_ practice only, and marked "practice unimunlion," This will be stored separately from the other ammunition in the magazine,-and will be under the charge of tlie ship's adjutant.

'The small arms auimunitou to be carried in the field with each unit is: .Mounted Rifle?, 200 rounds per rifle; Infantry, 2211; Artillery. 50..Engineers, Wvi; Army Service Corps, 100; Machine Guns, Mounted Rifles, 10,500 rounds per gun; Infantry. IKSOO. In addition to the ammunition to be carried in the field, a reserve as follows will be carried an 11.M.N.Z. transport Athcnie. with the Field Artillery Brigade, ammunition column;— Mounted Rides, 1100 rounds per riile; Infantry, 10R0 rounds per rille; Artillery, 1250 rounds per rille; Engineers and Army Service Corps, 121)0 rounds per rille; .Machine Guns, ■Mounted Tiilles. ;.:),(U)II rounds per gun; Infantry, 51.51)0 rounds per gun. The ammunition to be carried with the battery will be as laid down in war establishments, and will be shipped with the battery. A reserve, making no to a total of'soo rounds per gun, inclusive of that carried with the. battery, will be carried and shipped with the Artillery Brigade ammunition column. 'The small arm ammunition taken on hoard transports will be placed in the uiajM-

;. 'THE FLEET. \tr

;ARRIVAL of FRENCH MAIL fcOATJ ■ Writes aSydi>ey correspondent under (latent last -week r—A' further indication of the activityrfof the deet: was given cin , Wednesday whim 'the.. ISritish: onjnciF twiuiip steamer Zambesi JirriVetl 'in port!--wife a pm ; ":ew oil b.oa'rd,■ shi; lwvmej.heijK taken '-,'- Qiielof bur. shijfe for sbme'act hmtiw- to ths rutei : a4 \ra(r. ; Wtat/this, npk.M course, Irt'cn'. jiniiou.i!- : 'd,, biit [d',sWs -.which has: gained, sdni-. tliir{*iimlwsi,''\vjwii:i!i^.h'ft!^yf!iv^.i:"™ after' the" war broke oui;"fof'fKeTfiT-Is-land and Nauru, cuvicd Germans and contraband of war. Xauru is a German possession, ana there, is a highpowered wireless sic'.'.on there, which the British have .lisconneeted. The

Zambesi now lies at the Admiralty an ehorage in Farm Cove.

A-S'iiijo everyone lias,.,Jj:'en agog l'iii;t.lier, ne\ys/th'e T:vißliiiip fnailboui Sydney 'al'rived yesl'ci'diiy.' 'froivi '• >fouW'.-iV,' and her oliicers and crew have add.'d to tlii! story with (Wfu-iJr ot. a \pt\4i victory at Gei'mai. Xi'v,''.U'ninea air/oV t,he Caroline Islands.

Last night there were nigh jinks on, hoard the. Sydney. ■ i'haoi-.ign,' (lowed,, and the Volatile French ■ •"• bubbling, over, with the. exciting ' ■ "They bailed all Englishmen w :.-•:■. aboarjj! as brothers, kissed them, ami' dranfc : their 1i0a1tb.,,;.,-;:: ■' /. .'\ ; .. ';'" |( To 'put'' the' tiliwliiuij' tifiiith to tl(e' siory, it is said that a thrilling and sui-; cessful night attack by torpedo 'boalj.s: Was carried ou,t by the liriti.-ii. , So-Uie; Amdraliaii llyet has had its baptism qf! lire. -Whatever variations ; in the stories; may'appear in the oHiciiil'reports', incite: is no doubt that some oi the dii.ps huvfc been in action. ■ - , !

ralmerstox cami*. ■" '' : !

FIELD ARTILLERY DISPLAY,

Considerable idt'orest' was taken Tjyi the public, in the artillery which parsed: fhrough the Square at I'ltlmcrston Xbrtili' the-otber morning' (says the Manawabu: Standard I. There were eighteen vehicles in all, six guns and two lines; of waggons. Kach vehicle, was drawn by six horses, and-the length of the column can i.e judged I'ronv the fact thiit while the bead was at Princess street in (he inarch up Church street, the. la it waggon was at the junction of Fitzhcvberfc street and the Square. The styfc and bearing of the battery, which passed 'through the Square at the trot, favorably impressed the spectators. •

THE CHIEF OF WAR STAFF. . Many Xow Xoalanders knew Admiral Sir F.' (_'. U. Slurdee, who was recently appointed chief of the war stall' as from August 2!). From ISII7 to 1S!)9 Admiral Stiirdco, tlien captain in command of H.M'.S. Porpoise, was on the Australasian station. No commanded the, British force which was luiubyd inVSarn<)a/difcr-« iug the disturbances'of'that'-fime;- ITe is a line theoretical as well as practical sailor, and during Jiis: service" he.-,'.has twice won the Royal' Onited S'ervice Institution 'medal for the best prize, essay of the year. Adnifral Sturdee,-is] 55 years of age. Whether he has taken' up the appointment as head of the war stall' or is on service at sen is not yet known. -

JJiiUl-j ; Ainu:,] ITcavy ... X»tal. ' ■ s{ij]).j. "giinV. nmz. i-n. Santiago 0 .■'•20 5fl0.<*'/> T.susl'in:a ........20, .;■'•>. . i.!!3;).lj():» North'-Sea -.-...' W ' oi)(i 2!);Sfll0iM