The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-26
The English Volunteers.
nineteenth Century,


That which more than ANYTHING keeps the
volunteer force together and renders it popu-
lar is rifle-shooting, which gives as much sport
to the men as pheasant and rabbit shooting
does to those who can afford it. During the
long interval of several centuries in our his
tory, since archery and fitting passed away,
military exercises have found no place among
the amusements and pastimes of the people.
In no country have men been SO devoted to
what are called manly sports as in England;
but till the volunteer movement arose, no out
let for athletic exercises was found for the
youth of the country, save in cricket, rowing,
football, and such-like games, together with
sporting both on horseback and on foot To
these has now been added new outlet for the
energy of the country, and the line taken has
the advantage of being patriotic and nation
al, elevating what is to great extent relaxa-
ton and pastime into the performance of an
act of duty and citizenship which is recognized
and admired by the public, and which adds to
the self-esteem of those who engage in it.
Among the many welt.wishers of the volun-
teers must be included those who wish to see
the youth of the country trained to those ply
full carriage and good appearance of young
men. Englis hmen of the u PIPER classes appre
ciate the benefit Of this form of education, and
the lower orders would in time learn to value
it likewise, and will be able to find it in the
ranks OF the volunteers. When the improve
ment of the health and physique of our vast
working population is occupying the thoughts
OF our philanthropists let it not be forgotten
that in volunteer training we possess the best
school for promoting these objects. The annu-
al wimbledon meetings have done much tow
ard rendering rifle-shooting national pastime
thus promoting the stability of the volunteer
movement by creating wholesome competi-
ton and rivalry between the various corps.
The best marksmen in each regiment are well
known, and can be counted off as readily as
the best speakers in the House of Commons
A noble Duke recently endeavored to explain
In the House OF Lords the cause of the tempo
rary reverses Of our troops in the Transvaal by
showing that they had to encounter deer.stalk-
ers rather than soldiers. This proves the value of
skilled rife-shooting. 1t is obvious that men
trained in the intelligent use of their weapon
are OF the greatest value in the campaign. A
squad OF such men placed behind bank and
we'll supplied with ammunition could silence
any artillery, as the Beers are said to have
at Laing's Mex, when they made our guns all
white with bullet marks. Let me now draw
attention to what is possible to be done with
the modern arms of precision, supposing that
the men are equal to their weapons, which can
at present be said only of a few. A small,
well trained body of so men, placed under
cover, can easily fire 5000 shots in quarter of
an hour, leach man firing at the rate of four
shots per minute, and can place every shot at
500 yards into space no larger than an ordi-
nary sized room. At this rate battalion of
500 men could, in half an hour, pour $4,000 or
$4,000 bullets into an enemy advancing against
them, thus producing shower of lead under
which no troops could stand, much less ad-
vance-an instructive and consolatory reflec-
numerically large, and which should, there.
fore, endeavor to make amends for the small
ness of numbers by the high training and SUI
perior intelligence of the men. The waste of
ammunition and the consequent loss of oppor-
tunity in war are enormous. They must al
ways be large, but might be greatly reduced.