Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-05

In shooting. 1 have no hesitation in saying
tht IN the next campaign the Russian SOL
der will be better shot than he has ever
been before, and this not only in the in
fantry, but in the cavalry.
II Is no secret 10 those who know Russian
officers that they will leave behind them
their lances next time and go in as a sort
OF mounted infantry. the cid idea of dra-
goonS. To this end the cavalry are trained
to the rifle, and not the carbine and they
VIII far more often fight on foot than on
horseback But cannot find that. in spite
OF the extent Of the country, they have vet
been provided with proper ranges. Those
OF which | have heard do not exceed 500
meters. or under $50 yards and shooting at
mat distance VIII be of very little use in
future war; seeing the tremendously in
creased power of artillery
AS regards the latter arm, / am unable to
say much in praise either OF the force 1
nave seen as a whole or Of its mobility
VI course, ii is a high standard by which
TO try any artillery to regard them from
the point of view of either Woolwich or
Aldershot. But there must be a standard
and. without including the artillery of ths
Guard which is better it must be frankly
SAID the Russian guns are very poorly
horsed. poorly ridden and decidedly def
Client in mobility, for their horses are nor
as good as even those of the Turks or To
go step lower, of the Belgians The guns
are not kept clean in the sense that an
hnsish critic expects, but there is very
good material in the Russian artillery and
one who ought to know tells me IL makes
very fair field practice.
MOST OF the cavalry. too, is endorsed
Inc beasts are not SO overweighted as ours
out they are too much on the lines of the
CoSsack pony. They will endure and do
well where an English or an Irish horse
would starve, but they can never have the
pace or the weight that tells However
since We are to look on all the cavalry "a
IN the light of mounted Infantry save
some regiments Of the Guards. there is no
doupt the horses are good enough to take
the men from point to point, and to be very
patient when they get there which is the
more surprising when We consider they are
nearly all entries.
The housing. if l may use the expression.
OF the troops in the camp seems to me
very good. A wall of turf Is built up about
two feet high and some twelve feet square
Nhen this Is nicely finished. a square tent
Is set over it OF lighter material than our
canvas, but still water-tight and IL a cham
nei is cut for drainage away from the door
no rain can get inside, and, at least. the
floor of the tent is dry
Inc men have changes of clothing and
now they have begun to live in the camn
and go through their drill in white s.nrp.
mer uniforms. which at present have a
very clean appearance. How long ii will
last cannot tell, but judging by the mil
forms that have done duty through the
winter. there is not much to be hopei for
in this respect "
The officers are almost uniformly kind IN
Ihe men. whom they treat as a lot of chill
u!en, put only a small number of them
STUDY their trade, and they all have a
passion for decorations. which they sbouId
hardly be able to obtain except nv distin
gushing themselves in their business rba
supply of decorations opens too wide a ti.IS
for speculation. ~