The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-10-04 00:00:00

led to the idea of forming Cadet Corps. Most of
our readers must be aware of their object ; but

we may just repeat in a few words the purpose
for which they have been established : Cadet
Corps are intended for the enrolment of youths

who have been perfected in their various evo-

lutions up to a certain point, and who, having
begun to feel the irksomeness of repetition,
aspire to reach a point id some measure etitidi

with the effective athilt Volunteers. For this

clasS a long Enfield rifle is an impracticable arm.
With it these boys could not fix a h40rt0..,t;
or turn rOrnrod: Is there, then, no
other alternative than to withhold from these

in
in e
embryo soldiers all instruction and prgetidd the
manual and platoon exercises, aiming and posi-

tion drill, &c., with snapping cap practice, until
by lapse of years they have attained the nem;
sary stature to enter effective corps ? It has been
suggested that this desideratum may be supplied
at once by procuring a sort of model rifle of light
calibre and of suitable dimensions. The cost of
such an instrument, it is said, need not exceed
ten or fifteen shillings each. With some such end
in view it has been proposed that each effective
Volunteer Corps should have attached to it a
Cadet Company. The idea has already been so
far acted upon in this and in Other towns, and
will donlitlegi 'COnimatid still greater attention:
We trust the time is not far distant ikhen the
Cadet Companies will form an appendage to every
adult corps throughout the country.
The duty of the Government towards the cadet
companies is clear. .
Some steps ought to be taken
by the Executive to encourage the growing ate
of the more youthful of the male population, for
military discipline: Lord Etcio, and others of in-
fluential status, have already pronounced in favotli
of such an institutioci in connection with ilieVohin-
teer irnVenient ; and all energetic appeal from thj
, •
public, backed up by authoritative Opinions, coup
not fail to secure the requisite advantages to
give full scope to this branch of the service,
and to develop it to a full measure of Ml-
fulness in its own proper sphere. It has been
suggested that many thousands of stands of old
muskets in the arsenals of the kingdom might
be so cut down and reduced as to serve the pur-
pose of the baet,S, and it is said that the required
alteration could be Made at a v'erl7:
Something, at all events, might and ouilit to be
done, and done quickly. Let commanding officers
and all interested in the permanent efficiency of
the Volunteer movement, take action in the
matter, and the War Department cannot fail to
be convinced of the necessity of Coriviying with
their wishes. The Government has already mani.:
fested alacrity in doing all in its power to coun-
tenance and encourage the Volunteers. Why,
therefore, should we doubt but that it will do its
duty to the Cadet Corps ?
What could be a more desirable sight than to
see fathers and sons all enrolled under one com-
mand—the former as effectives, the latter as cadets.
What could tend more to secure the stability of the
organisation than to add to the pleasure already
presented by the drill and parade, by importing
into the movement all the fascinations of family
feeling and associations ? What better nurseries
could be devised for filling up the vacancies in the
present corps, sure to be caused by time, thari
those afforded by these Cadet Corps ? Instead of
the labour of drilling raw recruits, there would
then be constantly in readiness many thousands
of thoroughly trained and efficient young
men prepared to take the field in any
emergency. To meet the decadence of physical
ardour, in the course of years, among the more
advanced Volunteers:of our day, there would be
an ever-youthful supply of military energy from
the ranks of the cadet corps—embracing, as they
certainly would, the flower and the hope of all
classes of society. Since to the young, there-
fore, we must look for the continued efficiency
of the grand Volunteer army for self-defence,
let us hail with unmingled delight, and promote
with unstinted liberality, the universal forma-
tion of Cadet Corps.