New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-05

military administration In England. whch is OF
value by way Of suggestion To all who have SIM
liar subjects to deal with. One anecdote would
hardly have been told by the author. II he had
bccn in love with the practices Of amateurs
FRANKLY. one would doubt II. II Sir John Adye did
not in a manner vouch for H. Speaking on the
subject Of ordnance. he turns suddenly from re-
view Of the prolonged controversy over breech-
loading guns 10 say
Even the placid and scientific temperament OF
an Ordnance Committee may. however. OCCASION
,u, lac subject 10 "A severe strain Many years
400 a nr,nosal was submitted by some inventor
that n small gun. strapped across horses back
and fired from that position. would be us''u
cspeciallv I'm mountain campaigns. Inc "Np'i!'-
mani was made In the arsenal In Woolwich. the
horses head being tied u post, with the fhuh.'e
of the gun pointed To- an old carthen bntt the
committee standing on the other SIDE 81 the nv' 81
to watch the result. The gun was loaded. anu III
order 10 give time. n slow-burning fuse was used
to fire IT, The committee however. In tying the
animals head. had omitted 10 take the precaution
of also making fast its tail The first result was was
that when the horse heard the fzzing Of the fuse
on its back. 1t became uneasy and walked rounn
the most SO that the gun. instead OF pointing az
the butt was thus directed straight al the heauS
NJ the committed Not a moment was to be lost:
down went the chairman ana MEMBERS Nins
fiat and low their stomachs. Inc gun "cnl
off: the shot passed over the town OF WooiWIcn
and foil in the Backward. the horse being found
wing on its back several yards away. The com
mittee were fortunately unhurt and gradually re-
covered their equilibrium. but reported uha"-
mously against any further trlal.
Thus the mule batter" Of an inventive voIun-
teer in the Mexican War seems to have had its
counterpar, In the decorous confines Of Woolwich.
Again the civilians who made tours to the
Crimea for pleasure in time of war were not
delight TO him. There were times when there
was not food enough for all. and what there
was was not appctizing. on one such occasion an
old gentleman was sent to him as guest.
Tbore was nothing 10 eat but boiled salt pork.
After heroic efforts the visitor. with many apollo
cios said he did not mind ii on his own account,
but his valet could not eat salt pork. IF were
IN rive him a sovereign" he asked. DO you
think he could go to some place of refreshneht
roar and buy some fOod?" When he learned
that there was no place Of rcfreshment' nearer
than Constantinoplc. he collapsed and started Tor
England the next day. The author has nin5
occasionally at the red tape of the departments
once at S,mla he was asked t. certify mat Il
certain artillery officer was alive. AS the man
was standing before him. he thought TINS easy
but when he had signed the paper. the officer OK
claimed. "Ah. You have dated II August. mat
is Of no Use | have already sent them one OF
that kind but what they require Is certificate
that | was alive in July" In the old records 81
Gibraltar Sir John Adye found som" amusing
regulations. for example: III sentri"s are At
tackled by bulocks in the streets. or on the Line
Wall. they are to retire into an ombrasure OF H''
upon the parapct but they are not To IRE IN
consderatcly": or this: no woman 10 peat "
soIdier. the first that doth shall be whipped and
turned out f town" The book contains many
Illustrations from sketches and paintings BY the
author.