The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-23 00:00:00

THE LILLIPUTIAN REGIMENT.

Captain the lion. J. Colborne, 11th Regiment, has
patented an invention which is certainly a great im-
provement on the wooden blocks formerly in vogue, but
never of much real use, as an aid to the drill-book. A
pigmy battalion of six companies, with i he proper com-
plement of field officers, officers, guides, markers, band,
dnunmers, and buglers, is manieuvred on a miniature
field or chart, about sft. by 41t., lithographed with
diagrams of the Field Exercise for Infantry as revised
in 1870, The figures are the ordinary lead soldiers of
the toy-shop, correctly coloured, and carrying sloped
arms. They are soldered to tin slides, which join to-
gether, and can thus be placed upon the chart by
half-companies, sections, companies, Cr battalions.
Movements from column into line and from line into
column are indicated on the chart by red and black
arrows. The formation of square is painted blue, and
positions in column and line are coloured redand black.
The chart shows ten different movements, besides the
manner of throwing out a line of skirmishers. Captain
Colborne, it appears to us (says The Times, from whom
we are quoting) has devised what is likely to prove a
very material and practical aid in drill instruction,
especially to those Militia and Volunteer officers who
may not have learnt the new system or who may
have sufficient opportunity of learning it on
Parade. The idea of an actual regiment is realized
as it never was by the old " blocks ;" the eye
is taught as well as the bead, and the difficulties
of the drill-book are smoothed away. There
is no reason why this first chart of ten move-
ments should not be followed by others
showing. the more complicated hattalioa forma.
thins, brigade movements of Infantry, Cavalry,
and Artillery, and the three arms combined ; and the
system might even include divisional field days. We
should add that a card supplies the words of command,
and that the positions of theofficers are correctly shown.
A few lessons with the Lilliputian Regiment will give
more confidence to a young officer than many days
patient study of the drill-book, and will be found very
useful, for instance, to those seniors who, perhaps, after
a retirement of some years become connected with a
Militia or Volunteer Regiment when they have grown
somewhat rusty in their military knowledge, and run
in danger of that misfortune known as "clubbing a
battalion."

SPUTTERINGS FROM " JUDY'S " PEN.
ONE of Junv's young men being asked whether a hat could
be called a u tile article, replied, "ion. 1 chapeau so." She
gave him his " mouth " noon the spot.
Tun 'Art Union—Marriage.
A JEWISH contributor says he can see but little difference
between an agreeable dish and a die hi-agreeable.
SOME vegetarians would not touch horseflesh, yet they
will eat cob., and chestnuts.
YOU'VE not seen pa's pipe-lights, perhaps; but everybody
must have heard of Parris spills.
THE Band of lope.—A husband.
Cumous. The Oxford and Cambridge "eights, 'get their
teaks before the race.
SMALL Fry—Whitebait.
A Limit-Ara Character—A lady pig.
A WIFE'S Settlement—A knock on the head.
A MOTTO for Scotland.—There's the rub.
A "QUESTIONABLE" Proceeding—The cross-examination in
the late libel case.

ELECTION lutelligenee—That shown by a borough that re-

turns a Conservative.
A GRATE Mistake—Cheap coals.
QEERY.—IIow can a very low ball-dress be highly im-
proper.
ARE ladies generally inclined to be bald 7—No, they don't
like it, as a rule. —Judy.