The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1891-01-23

28OW 49, Ste3BO8 army - 8S6AADO0 ~ 9DOSS
tssdan. AwstSsdam md Oshef cltiss
-Deoil 4oe6ts Produced by the
1enofapee Of 0Aesrs.
Holland 10 becoming exceedingly
fidgety about her militia affairs, says y
letter in the New York Tribune: The
national defcnses are in q disorganizol
condition, and tho Dutch would be un.
able to offer much resistance to any in.
vasion. Reform is the cry on every
hand, and universal CONSUMPTION
is advocated ON all sides; but
no one seems to feel disposed to carry
tho matter through. As things now arc
no Dutchmsn need serve in the regular
army il he can pay for q substitute.
Tho consequence Is that the rich are OPP
posed to the universal CONSUMPTION, be-
cause they do not want to serve, and tho
poor are against it because they would
no longer receive tho largo sums which
their children earn by serving IS SUBJ
atitutcs. Every man, however, between
the age Of twenty-five and forty IL forced
to belong to the militia. or echuttcry, as
II is Designated in Holland. The latter
numbers about two per cent. of the on
trio population. hut 1T is quit. harm
less, and rsrtakcs to 9 certain extent Of
tho nature OF the epcra c~oniauc.
No.i,in: a be moro amusing than to
watch the schuttcrs on thcirw toGrill
late in the afternoon Of su.l.lcr end
days. They can scarcely be
described 81 presenting o martial app
pccran.e in their lluc and rcd uniforms,
will, their shslsocs pcrchcd -akisllly on
one side Of their head, tho chin strap
barely reaching down to tho nose, .
ciEar o: pioc in tho mouth, and al
Notwithstanding old muskct carried
over tho shoulder, butt end upward.
In winter when 1t rama or SHOWS tho
monthly drill ct Rotterdam, Amstcr.
dam and other important cities, usually
takes place under covcr in the Lourse
after tho business Of The day is over.
The drill se.gcants, however, dislike
this; for 1t 1ouSlcs their work, since
tho schutters devote far mcrc attcation
10 the figures Of tho afternoon stock
quotations, still chaikca upon tho
board, than to tho figures Of drill.
Tho officers Of the militia regiments
arc exceedingly gorgeous creatures,
with their long. clanking sabcrs, their
plumed hats and their profusien Of gold
lace. Their knowledge OF things mill
tary is but ono degree superior to that
Of the men under their command, for
they have been forced to drlil for two
hours o week during a period of six
weeks With a regular limo rcgi-
mant. Under ordinary circumstances
they manage to fulfill their duty
after . fashion, but during tho
annual maneuvers they are sub
jcctel to great trials. A schuttcr Cap.
tain will hs standing in front Of his
company, when . corporal acting as
orderly approaches with the following
message: Tho ene,ny ls close at hand.
Tho Colonel sends you his very best
compliments and wishes to know il you
would obligc INN ny lceaing your men
to attack. All at once the latent pa
triosism and military ardor Of tho Cap
tain kla.s forth. lie draws his sword,
ard. chilling on his soldiers to follow
him, rushos 10 meet tho imaginary en-
cny. Suddenly his advance is checked
by shallow ditch filled with r,uday
water. This causes his f.crccncss l.,
abatc, for he would not foIa!l tho world
soil his uniform. he pauscs for q few
seconds. All at once a happy ~t.,ongl.l
strikes him. "Fisub by vollcys.." nc cries
To HIS mon. Immediately tho lamrols
ere heard to rattle in all the cncrE,ous
barrels Of tho old 1nuslscts. and u mir
ute later the hammers fall with Il
clicking noise of old metal. For tbs
zaili,ia-mcn are not only forbidden t.,a
use Of ..%unrowiar, bnt are cven denied
percussion caps. lii tho middle OF all
this tho Adjutant of the regiment. who
is invariably an officer OF the regular
array, daslcs up on horseback aud cx-
claims in frantic tones to tho Captain:
Good heavens. NAH, don't you know
that IN cas- Of vollcy firing the officers
must not stand right in from. u the mug
zles Of their mems guas?"
Nowiso disconnected, the Captain
pulls his handbook Of military ,cgula-
tions out Of his pocket and, after caro-
fully CHANGING over several pages, re-
plies in a nonch:lart manner well,
don't see any thing about it in hcrc.''
Tho face of tho adjutant becomes
scarlet, he gulps down two or thrco big
oatlis and finally calculates: Here,
give mo the book. Sec there. 1t is
page ferty-cight." And then. with a
look OF despair and o shrug OF his Shout
dcrs, ho dashcs of to some other equally
wc11-inforrncd schutter officer.
Meanwhile the Captain has leisurcly
returned his sword to its scabbarl and
has inscribed in his notebook tho fol
lowing memorandum: Tin case of vollcy
firing it is better for the officer to keep
to tho reGr of the front, 50 Us not to
come into contact with the. muzzles OF
h;smcn's guns"
Tho Majors, the Licutenaats and the
Colonels of the ''schuttcry" arc all cut
out OF the anl cloth u.s. the Captain
above portrayed; always ready to argue
the point with their superior officers,
and producing the drollest effects By
! their utter ignorance OF military tactics.
There is even a '%sscllmttcr" General who
ia u retail tea merchant. None Of the
officers or men arc acquainted with tho
mechanism of a modern rife, and there
arc probably but few of them who would
| venture to handle ono ii they knew 1t
was loaded.
A Scientific Cannon.
A cannon, ever though . small one,
Is not usually regarded as a necessary
part of an explorers outfit. Such q
weapon Inns, however, been. trundled
| f,a<o Nnrtbnru Thfhok hx, Tho nv,ods<so.