The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-05-10 00:00:00

linnet Countti Exprtio.
DoECHESTER, TUESDAY, MAY 10, 188 L

OUS SOLDIERS AT ROME.
14 many it is often said of 11.11.11. the Duke of
ounneidge that he is veritably "the soldier's friend,"
sad far be it from us to detract one iota from this
mot 0( ruble. which the gallant Comtnander-in-Chief
has undoubtedly earned, But there ani ways in which
flit,. ?Artier needs befriending, which lay 'bey' the
lines of the Royal Duke's military functions.' The
generality of folks outside a bark e are to&often prone
to think only of the soldier an well-fed and well-
einthed unit in the great masa of defensive atrentrth
necessary to the maintenance of a vast empire safe from
disastrous attack. Of ...aurae, when the tine conies
that the army are in the 11,1,4," wheo the horrid game
of war is really being played, with all its ghastly &mile,
when offieer and man alike have to undergo the
rigornall discipline which life at the front' enforces,
sad every stitch of uniform and aecoutrements—fr
om
snoulder-strap to sabre-Mate-4s begrimed and defaced
beyond recognition, when all anxiety concerning the
wow if feat appearance of the morning or afternoon
toilet is entirely eliminated, then the piddle are ever
ready to rouse up to a tiVll4l, "f thorough wakefulness
that the British soldier is in "rough work' and vitiate
astking after! But it is not always the lattermost
thoughts under the psailiar eircumstances just
enumerated that prove the most wise. Tle• engines of
war, with all their terribly destruetive and artificial
maehinerY. may be thrust forward to the theatre of
operations; but if the stamina--the real physical ground,
walk of the soldier, whieli enables bin, to smile at
forced marches, and to endure fatigue without fainting
—is missing, all the pomp and eireutnatance of war'
will avail nothing against an army wltose social hi,.
and general conduct are properly cared for in time of
peace. When tlie radiant, dashing Zonaves and line
regiments of France were matching their marching
powers agaiust those of their Teuton foes, the French-
men failed, and miserably 'OO, and why? Principally
I„.anse the wine Pimp and the dancing sesioa
1,11 destroyed the inaulusal of the sons of Gaul—
the fatal absinthe had undermined their nnoititutions,
and an overweening penchant for the too seductive
soot, ant howinating charm, of the fair but frail
daughters of the classic purlieus of Montmartn, and its
environs, had rendered the gay French iltasatur sadly
obstinate, and degenerated in point of rod physique, to
• wretched degree. 'Ube happy-go-lucky youug fellows
looked well enough on regimental parade, and the
capricious populace (when in good humour) loved to
gaze upon them, as forming part of the "invineible
lariona'of la belle France, and were ready upon very
slight pretext to shout in exultation " Vise is pwerret•
But when grim War, in all its stern reality, denutioled
real "work" at the hands of those ph:Genre-loving
warriors, what response did they make? Impetuous
sad daring they were beyond dispute; but the tireless
rigour essential to successful conflict with a stubborn,
determined enemy they lacked, and so were redueed
to a pitiful plight a hich form, d literally an eniphatically
explieit and truthful illustration of the commiserating
language of the God 1.1 battle,.—" The spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak." But how to avoid the
&wee of allowing our own soldiers to fall a prey to
similarly disastrous deterioration is a question of vast
importance. The past few years has witnessed sundry
spasmodic little displays of ateldenly-acquired anxiety
on the part of" red-tape" officials at lheadquarters;
unexpected outbursts of activity, elaborate schemes of
army organisation and a general hurried manifestation
of chronic wakefulness and vigilance which at times
was scarcely dignified, and which certainly rendered the
preceding peliod of impassive serenity and subsequent
relapse into apparent lethargic quierwenee all the more
inexL.licably impressive. England undoubtedly possesses
the t recruiting ground in the world, from whence
flock young men whose physique and intelligence
eannot be excelled amongst all the nations of the ear&
Nut, it must be remembered, tho British soldier has
at times his evenings of leisure. It is not always
parade nor is he continually called for picket or guard.
ha; not all the social privileges and advantages
which make the life of a civilian run in such a pleasant
and even groove. And sometimes, possibly, the time
may haag (wit a trifle wearily..,, his hanibi. He Ilas
bis regimental library, it may Is. urged. Very tram', but
a man at times grows 'albs' of reading.eren the most
dellightful work* bore one a t certain no intents, ; nor can
the ordinary class of meia et, rnally lind a speeitie for
exorcising the demon ennui by diversifying the position
of the nem on a draught or ..111.4111 board. Where then will
be go to gams hi. leisure pr dltably sad with pleasure ?
Tk• drinking saloon, are gorgeously bedizeteal owl a
welemue will be accorded lam there. by a reckless crowd
• mysterers. 'The dissolute and the lewd are always
rattly to help hint spend his pny and disgrace his corps,
trader these cireumedaaees it Is pleasing to filet that
the 'ant is in great measure supplied hy the cluirneng
little entertainmenta now periodically provided at the
'New Depot Barrack.. under the kind man map. of I 'olonel
Wilkinmai. There a room of goodly dimensions hiss
Is--n adapted. gaily it...se-idea with bunting, and wall
sad commodiously appointed. An exeellently variel
pro mme of amusement is provided. which is greatly
appreeiated by the men. who gladly avail theta.elve. of
this opportunity of rational enj.,yment..l:i2
who have directed !Mir torts t? the further,, 1t
lendable an object—that of providing the troop', with
the hearty thanker
plemaint evenings at home—de...rye
oh adl, military and civilians alike,