The new North-west., 1883-04-27
FROM OVER THE SEA,
EngIand's Citizen Army, Playing ut
soldiers.
Correspondence New Noym- West.


Patriotic Britshers have just had an oppcr
tunity of reviewing their Citizen Array, aud
the national bosom has lhrIlr WITH mill
tary enthusiasm at the spectacle q! such an
imposing muster of the "def-nders of our
hearths and homes"
The Volunteer movement originated some
twenty three years ago, but did not at first
meet with much encouragement from the
government military officials; the scheme,
however, became very popular with the pub,
lie, and the War Office soon saw that after
all there was something in il which might
be turned to good account. The Volunteers
are now provided with first.class outti'
uniforms almost as smart as the regular
troops, and weapons and accoutremsnts simi.
lar in every way to those provided for their
professional brethren.
Their motto, "Defence, not Defiance y
well illustrates The position they hold in the
military world. they are trained solely for
home service, and 1t is to them, that the
country would look in time of war, to occupy
the national fortresses, should there ever be
occasion to deprive them of their garIisoxs
of regular troops. Every encouragement Is
now given to those who are fired with a mar
tal spirit; and the recent review at Brighton
on Easter Monday gave an opportunity to
the various newspapers, to indulge In de-
plorable amount of tgush." Easter Monday
is one of the national holidays In England,
and is generally selected as the day on which
to hold these military displays. On this oc.
casion the volunteers of London aud neigh
boring counties, mustered to the number of
some $4,000, force which was quite sutfici-
ent to give the spectators fair idea of the
general appearance of field of battle.
The plan Of these operations consisted in the
supposition that large army of ferocious for
etgners had landed on England's shores, and
our citizen army proceed to expel the ruth
less invaders. or course the supposed
enemy was ultimately repulsed with tire
mendous slaughter; totally annihlated in fact
There is always a certain amount oil
comicality in these sham fights; here is nc
opportunity for opposing generals to play al
"masterly inactivity" as the various manpu.
vers have TO be got through in given mum
Der of hours, and everything has to be done
to time. The various battalions take uE
their positions in charming defiance Of artil
lery which Is supposed to be doing deadly
execution, and galloping colonies appeal ex
citedly to the umpires to determine whether
1t Is "falr" that they should be made prison
ers under sucn and such circumstances. The
Prince of Wales took part in one Of these
sham fights few years ago. His Royal High
ness has never displayed any large amount
of intelligence in military tactics, and or
that occasion managed TO get captured BY
the enemy; he appealed eycitedlv to the um
pire, who decided against him Such mis-.
hap made the royal soldier so furious that ht
put spurs to his horse, broke away fiom hi:
captors and retired from the field In disgust
This was not in the official programme.
The usual absurdities of sham fights were
painfully apparent last Monday. Orders had
been given to commence firing punctually a.
o'clock, but by some miscalculation the
enemy did not come up to time; the public
therefore, had the instructive spectacle of an
army firing wildly into the air, whilst mes
senger was sent off to demand why the in.
vaders were not prepared to meet their
doom. -r ..1 -. '.
1t is difficult to see how. under these con.
ditions, the men can feel that they are en-.
gagged with real foemen. squad of ten
men was surrounded by whole company OF
the enemy and commanded to surrender.
"No! we represent whole army corps, and
occupy an impregnable position !" was the
spirited reply of the officer in comm and.
Anyway, these little incidents certainly help
to relieve the monotony of the proceedings.
I remember once reading of newly raised
negro regiment during the war in the States.
They had been carefully instructed in their
military duties, and when led out to battle
went marching oraveiy on singing partial
c borus, but at the first storm of real bullets
fr ON the enemy's ranks there was a general
rec oil. "Say, colonel! you never told us
abo ut these!' cried the men TO their com
man Ter, and then there was a general STAN
pede. How our volunteers would act under
such irying circumstances remains to be
proved; for they have not yet had the oppor-
tunity { sl showing their courage "upder
tire." kENPsHILL.
LONDON. MARCH, 81, 1885.