The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1885.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5028, 23 February 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1885.

Seybeai old volunteers belonging to the Thames■district;havo evinced ai desire _ to take part in the Colonial movement made to offer for service in Egypt. It certainly shows an amount of admirable loyalty on ike' part of those wishing to serte the Mother. Country, but we fear that such a proposal is niqt altogether practicable. Theffeiling which: is shown! is in ;e»ery Way worthy pf^hoße who have displayed, an inclination to place their services at the disposal oLEnglandi but we cannot see how these various well-intentioned offers arei going-to be^ made,tiny "use of In the first place, there tfould be, an unavoidable delay in transportation, which would render, to a >rery great extent, nugatory, the action of our mon. Again, there arises the fact that, ,110 matter what their msrtial ardor may be, and nbitwith■tanding their eagerness to be of.assistance at a critical moment,: their training in matters of warfare in this- colony would be of little avail—especially wb en the. enemy's numbers and their peculiar system of fighting are considei;ed--r-against the hosts they woiildbave to contend with. There also exists the knowledge' tlrttWonderful enduranoe in a tropical,climate is demanded pf a' Soudan soldier, and that disease and difficulty] -besjsif ■ him daily. * -The exam pie VflTew South Wales mi offering a handful of troops in a very' dutiful manner, and .-' perhaps. > as' 1 a proof of affection and, loyalty, has doubtlfsg fired with sentimental; ambition the souls of our local, defenders, but when the subject is carefully thought orer, it should be at once apparent that very little good could be done for cause by a Thames detachment being offered for Soudan -■ As we fttate, the offer shows a laudable loyalty, and an inclination on the part of Thames oienitdfihare the troubles of the parent land, but we fear that this praiseworthy feeling caanot be turned to any practical or beneficial result. Should a matter of 500 men be sent from* one; colony, and a similar number from another one, or two, 'or' three, the mission ihey: would be on would be useless, owing;. us,. w« hare endeavored to show, to the time they <wbuld take in reaching the scene of ; action, £ad theJdisqualificationslikelyto •rise from climatic and other influences. One, of our Auckland .contemporaries: points out somewhat justly ttiat the colo- vnist can be better employed, and we cer*; tainly coincide with, that view. It may be i urged that there are many worthless idlers amongst the population; and' numbers of inhabitants who would prefer fighting to turning their hands to any kind of industry, but. these warlike persons would more than probably revel in a fight near at hand, yet not care to oAter into the life consequent on- ft Soudan campaign, or' they belong to & class who would look '■ for ward witb pleasure to $ European trip; 4?probably to desert as soon as dppor- > tunity offered, or to reflect no particular; credit on the country shipping them. Such; men would not be those likely to, leave; our district, and we hardly think would form a Soudan contingent from any other. • The man fired with auy lofty ambition'is! not an idler. There can bd little doubt : that'.'ayery infiuitesimal amount, if any, of good weiald be likely to arise from any/ New Zealand trbopS'^-small as their nuin-; bpr would bo-—undertaking to ujd in the present trouble);- although, as 'me have be forp stated, tb.ejjr goffers'display the >pos- j session of an admirable and worthy ':pOß}i\qni\.-■*■'■'■■■■■ -:^-";■■:• •■:' :: :'-: ■:^^: r ,'>^^f .'ij