Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-10

nens's OF volunteer officer In the first
90 ION ,he date or the commission are
exoeed iiVo This II 10 cover uniforms,
ot which tho volunteer Officer has four.
sword. and accoutrements.
EXPENSES PRETTY Low.
ne expenses Of a volunteer private
arc kept down pretty low in al but such
Ieklmehts AS the Artists'--that is, In regi-
iinthts made up chiefly of men with small
incomes. Each man pays e a year thco-
ssucaly' Tor his uniform. while the gov
..thment pays 10 marksmen according TO
Ilngs a year or course the ut1rksman
must also b. proficient IN drill. There
Is curious allowance Of. shilling a
year for every man having an overcoat.
This came about because the oveTcoat
was 40 unpopular garment that many
men neglected 10 provide themselves with
onc. as each had to pay for II himself.
Those that bought overcoats complained
adequate allowance OF | shilling year
wac made 20 keep them In good humor.
In the case 81 a corps like the Artists
oil allowances from the government and
all payments 10y the volunteer 20 10 the
corps Tor general purposes. 80 that. all
told, the pleasure Of being d soldier costs
the private about 40 a year. In the case
Of other corps all man contributes. az
well IA all paid by the government. goes
to providing the needs OF the individual
volunteers. Everything In the way of ac-
Coutrcments. save the rife and bayOnet.
belongs to the soldier, and no volunteer
may leave the country without first de
lvcrinc up HE rifle at headquarters
some Of the volunteer ORGANIZATIONS have
no headquarters Of their own. as the gov
eminent makes no appropriation for
volunteer armorics. The Artists Corps
has a large and costly armory. the result
Of a picture show and rattle. Many OF The
Royal Academicians and OF the illustra-
tors contributed 10 the exhibition. and
the pictures were disposed OF by lottery,
with tickets at guinea and half q
guinea \ great many thousand pounds
came Of the rattle
a volunteer unlike the National Guards
men. is not compelled TO attend the an
nual cncampnent. save that he is re
quiicd 10 take part IN a certain number
OF drills IN a year. and 10 DO this his
presence FOR at least one day at the en-
Campment fra nee ssary. the emcamp-
mcnt takes place the week before Easter,
and tn regular thing hitherto has been
for the South-of England organizations
TO march to Dover. besicge the city. 20
n church on Easter Sunday. and then
march home. The thing Is not altogether
a lark, because the War Office gives
orders that the volunteers shall he dealt
with even more strictly than the regulars.
The Artists Corps used to leave London
on Monday morning and march In Skin
mishing oTdCr 20 n point near oklnG.
There were various eVolutions on the
way. and man was kept stirring. There
during the day. The men carry on their
backs everything save the tents. Try
camp in tents for three days near No-
king. drilling all day. and seIGOm or never
getting permission 10 leave camp. After
this the men usual! march from No-
king 90 Dover going each year by a
di0crent route, and reaching the downs
before the city by Friday night.
THE SHAM-BATTLE.
Next day CONES the sham-battlc and
defended
garrison and the ships In the harbor. Sa-
'uriaN night the city Is duly captured,
ana the volunteers go into barracks win
the regulars. The social feature OF the
cncampm nj is the smoking concert Of
that Saturday night. given by the volun-
tee-s TO the privatcs and non-commis-
comes save the upper officers of the
volunteers and the colonel Of the reeu-
lars usually looks In. All drinks are free
% the regulars. and the volunteers act
As walters. There H. no formal subscrip-
ton for this entertainment. but each one
OF the volunteers chips In what he
chooses. throwing his money upon the
trays as the walters pass. The aifalr
usually lasts until well into TIE morning,
ana the volunteers are glad to hire some
OF their guests TO put them in order for
the sunday drc's-parade preparatory 10
attending service, for every volunteer
organization must go 10 church ~ uni
form at least once a year. and Easter
Sunday at Dover is usually the day
chosen FOR that act of compulsory devo-
tion. Next day the homeward march be
gins. but ~ Is. as q rule. tame auair,
for the most direct route Is taken. and.
as many men cannot stay through the
cuCampmcnt the organizations are
greatly reduced. The volunteers arc
greatly outraged this year AT not having
had the march 10 Dover. They merely
marched 10 Windsor for a review.
In some of the volunteer organizations
any man has a chance at commission
II ne can bring a certificate that he has
done six months drilling with the Life
Guards. Here. again, however only
man Of some means can get in, for II
costs something In time and money 10
get the drilling. besides the expense 10
which an officer of volunteers is sub
iected. Promotion Is ordinarily by com
petitiVe examination.
The militia e. regularly under pay, and
every mlitiaman must spend six months
in camp during the frst year The militia
men are largely old soldiers or mere boys |
Rich but stupid fellows use the militia to |
get commissions In the regular army one |
may obtain by influence commission IN |
the militia. and, after three years ser
vic. the militia officer. 10y taking an I'M |
commonly-easy examination, stands a
chance OF being commissioned as an OFF, !
Ger OF the regulars