The Hawaiian gazette., 1886-10-19
THE ARMY.

EDITOR GAZETTE When the next gen
Grafton OF Islanders look back upon the
present chapter of Hawaiian history, NJ
incident therein viii cause more Harmless:
mirth than the Rise and Fall of the Ha
waiian Army. I say Rise and Fall
because at the present moment a china,
has been reached In affairs military VT
have touched highwater mark. the neces
sary ebb must shortly follow. 1t seem:
that the various army systems Of the world
have been given serious consideration
and that from among these systems, that
OF the German Empire has been chosen
as the best and most suitable on which Il
model the army Of Hawaii. Does this
mean compulsory service for all able
bodied Hawaiians. or does It mean The
appointment OF Z number Of Brigade
Majors. and Lieutenant Generals sufficient
TO direct a Prussian army corps on waI
footing
Staring then from the opposite ex.
tremes Of compulsory and volunteer ser
vice. it Is quite within reason to inquire IL
what particular or particulars the Hawaii
an military authorities, propose to follow
the German system. People have heard
with amused astonishment of a General
Staff" and the famous Intelligence Of
ticer" who proved too hard a nut for Leg
islatiye cracking. Let it be stated here
for the benefit of those whom 1t may con
Germ that In the German service there is
no such title known. Any civilian who
takes the trouble to think the matter over.
must come to the conclusion that for the
handful Of men who turn out to parade IN
Honolulu, a number equal to about one
Prussian Company, there cannot possibly
be any need of an elaborate General staff
system. And with regard to the Intelli-
gence Officer. it can hardly be of any
practical use or value to the Generals and
General Staff of the Hawaiian army to be
kept posted as to the exact strength of
foreign armies, the weapons in use. any
change in such weapons, the number and
strength OF forts and fortified towns with
plans if obtainable, and with any data
which may be of use in event Of war.
For anyone who has seen military service,
or even had opportunities of seeing mill
tary life, as an outsider the Hawaiian
army OF to-day must afford an interesting
study. Suppose some day an unbeliever
II the Hawaiian military system were to
button-hole q member of the General
Staff and ask him to define a ..mamelon"
and ''ravehn. or describe the construction
and use of a ',gabion" or '.fascine." would
the Staff officer be equal to the emergen
cy? Suppose again the infidel barred the
way Of any native company commissioned
officer to inquire as to the trajectory of
the weapon IN use among his men. and
the penetration at certain distances:
would the answer be such as to give salts
faction? In the event Of adherence to
German system certain -honored Gus
toms viii pass into the realm Of tradition.
The first probably to disappear viii be
the moonlight drills for the purpose of
instruction. As an amusement for par
ucipators and lockers on there Is much
harmless fun IN such exercise: but as q
means Of instructing men they are worse
than useless. In such an uncertain light
the commanding officer cannot detect any
error unless IN his immediate vicinity.
For those friyolously inclined the occas
lon Is full OF opportunities Unless disci-
pine IS second nature at such a time. to
the new engaged. the effect must be de
moralzing Moonlight parades afford an
evenings outing and pleasure to many
people; but this Is an object of which the
German system takes no account.
The careful consideration of the German
military system viii next deal death
blow to the annual Company luau There
IS no regulation in the German service
which can be stretched into a permission
for commissioned officer to sit down to
an eating or drinking bout with his men
with the prOfessed intention of seeing it /
out" Should he so far forget himself as
to do this. he would in a few DAYS be re-
heved of all military duty. 1t is custom /
airy for officers to attend dinners when the |
men are celebrating some holiday or /
other, but after the short time which Gus /
tom and civility permit has passed. the |
men are left to enjoy the feast by them 1
selves.
The greatest boon which the adoption |
of the German system will confer on those |
who burn with military order viii be the |
drill book. The puzzled officer viii at last |
be able to lay his finger on paragraph and |
page as an ultimate authority. At pre-
sent each man is his own authority, no |
drill book exists for reference. Fancy /
the chaos, the squabbling. the you're |
another arising from such a state of af- |
Jars. The sIckly English and American /
graft. - on the German stem must now
be Topped off to the satisfaction of all |
concerned. 1t was once under contem- /
plation for the Hawaiian army to have
drill book Of Its own, of which all that is
now known Is that English as she is
spoke" would have been solemn and ser
lous IN comparison. The way is now clear
however, black and white for the future.
an authorized government book for an
authority, and the German authorities
cannot but feel fattered at the preference
shown. Another benefit of the adoption
strikes rs at present and that is. that