The National tribune., 1883-08-30
Madagascar Soldiers.

From a Letter IN The London Standard
4 day or two previous to my departure from
the capital, | witnessed review of one of the
crack regiments of the Hova army. Accom-
panying the reviewing general prince of the
blood royal, we found the battalion, eight hun
cred strong, drawn up in line on a pleasant
meadow, distant some two miles from the city,
Dressed in white and armed with Remingtons,
kept scrupulousiy clean and in good order. they
looked not unserviceableb body ofmen. Perfect
ly steady they were as we rode along the ranks,
and they presented arms" and saluted the
prince with q precision and smartness that
betOkened discipline and drill. Ten years ago
q Sergeant L0yett, from the battery of British
artillery stationed ct Mauritius, was engaged
by the Hovas to drill this troop. He did not
remain long enough with them, nor, perhaps.
had he sufficient knowledge Of tactics himself,
TO train the army Tor movements in the field on
an extended scale. But minor drill they learned
very thoroughly, and the spirit of discipline
and of implicit obedience to superior officers.
seems TO have been acquired and maintained in
striking degree. Indeed, the sergeant was q
very msrtinet, and frequently enforced respect
and prompt execution of his orders by the
weight of MS own arm. stentorian word of
command he also possessed, and to this day it
Is the ambition Of all Hoya officers to come IN
10 his standard in that respect. On taking up
our position On raised platform in front of the
troops, the general in command, first taking a
good breath, gave an order SO energetically as
20 reduce him for a short time 70 8 condition of
collapse. a terrible din ensued, every officer
on the ground repeating the command at the
topmost range Of his voice; half dozen files In
the center Of the line stepped back a few PAGES
and the band marched through the gap playing
IN quick time as they approached us There
is q happy land" After this salute we had the
manual, the platoon, and the bayonet exercises
Of our own service, which we're all done smartly
and well, except that the officers who gave out
the commands had frequently to be relieved,
otherwise some of them must have succumbed
TO apoplexy. The regiment advanced in line in
good order. il broke into column. 1t formed
square, going through these evolutions in highly
creditabie style. The skirmishing was not so
good. In this some three hundred spearmen
co-opersted, but their proceedings, although
striking and picturesque, were about as much
adapted 70 real warfare as are the battalion
movements SO assiduonsly practised from year
TO year by Englih troops. After parade we had
lunch, at which wines and English beers were
produced IN prOfusion. But conversation was
limited, most Of the officers having previously
shouted themselves hoarse. Of troops such as
had seen, the HoVas possess some twelve thou
sand men Then there are rs many more armed
with old muskets and spears, but drilled and
an untold host Of irregulars. The regulars have
learned much Of the letter of European drill.
but as yet have failed to mprehend its spirit.
Still they could very easily, in hands of com
petent leader, become q sufficiently formidable
force.