The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-12-02
SAW SOLDIERS ABROAD
CAPT. ASHLEY CONCLUDES THE y.
G. II. is EXCELLENT.
How the First Regiment Compares
With Volunteers and Regulars-A
Great Armory-West Point.


During his trip east Capt. w. G.
Ashley was fortunate enough to see
some of the crack military organiza-
tions of America, the 18th and 18th
New York and the West Point cadets
among the number. He was in New
York city three weeks and visited
West Point on two occasions. Every
where he met army men and was fire.
quently entertained by them.
81 was profoundly struck with the
extent and magnificence of the quart
ers of the 18th New York in Brook
lyn," said Capt. Ashley. 1t is the
largest armory in America and cost
about $3,OO0,OO0. Each company has
a number of handsome rooms, elegant
ly furnished, with fine parlors for the
members and friends. \ corridor
leads to large drill shed which is
used i'm wet weather. | was enter
tanned by officers of the regiment and
taken all over the building. 1t took
two hours to look through the rooms.
Unfortunately | could not be present
at evening to witness one of the reg
mental parades.
81 CHANGED at West Point two after
moons and witnessed dress parades on
both occasions. OF course everything
] &c NJ 70 ha l,tIt
| tell you that f and f companies of
the n. G.. H. will hold them down when
it comes to drilling. AS for the volun-
teer force of the United States they
are simply not in it when compared
with the volunteers of Hawaii. If
companies of the n. G. II. drilled like
some of the crack organizations l
saw they would be promptly relegated
to the awkward squad for discipline.
l feel greater pride in the efficiency
of the n. G. H. than ever before.
cover there they would hardly be-
lieve our shooting records. related to
them the scores of some of our notable
shoots and they could not see how it
could possibly be. OF late, however,
some of the American teams are be-
ginning to realize what we can do. and
| presume more will before long.
Coming back to the matter of drill
again | would say that ! had good
opportunities of judging the drill of
regulars at Washington. at Denver
and at San Francisco: and | would
take half the volunteers of the First
Regiment, shutting out the regulars,
and drill all around them. Companies
+ and + will compare with the very
best in the United States. And Amer
lean officers who have visited Honolulu
whom | met in the States, cheerfully
admit this. Gen. Warfield said to me:
I only wish the National Guard of
California contained such well drilled
and disciplined companies as the Ma
tional Guard of Hawaii Our volun-
teers surpass theirs in every partic-
ular.
81 was struck with several details
in the makeup of the American vol
unteers however. in which | think we
are bit behind. OF course they are
well uniformed and equipped up to the
top notch. They now wear with the
fatigue uniform a soft, gray, felt hat.
1t is regulation. | was impressed
with the comfort of it and should like
to see it adopted here in place of the
cap, which is hot and unwieldy.
II return feeling more than ever the
honor it is to belong to the n. G.. II.
We have little army as well organ
lied, as well disciplined and as well
able to hold its own as any in the
world. 1t would take force larger
better equipped and long in the field
to contend against u.s.