The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-12-21
JOIN MANY RECIPIENTS.
Militiamen in England Are Found to
lie Systematic Reporters
at EnIistirg.

The calling out of the mista will af-
| ford the British war office the first OPP
portunity of judging the extent of 4
curious military offense, believed to be
extensively practiced-that of men en-
listing and serving often in as many as
three or four different regiments al the
same time. The opportunity TO accom-
plish this end is afforded by the varia-
zion of the climate of the British isles,
the militia regiments being called out
FOR their yearly training, many of them
to 90 into camp at separate seasons
from the early spring in the south OF
England to the late autumn in Scotland.
1t is therefore possible for, say, Private
Jones to soldier" for q days in April
with the Hampshire regiment; for the
same man, under the name of Corporal
Thomas, to do q days more in the mid
lands in July, and yet another p days as
Sergt MacDougal in some lowland
Scotch regiment in September. 1t is no
uncommon circumstance upon the first
yearly parade of a military regiment
late in the season to detect several men
with the unmistakable sun mark of the
Scotch cap across their foreheads,
which on being pointed, the eXplana-
ton almost inevitably offered is re-
markable In confidential tone, as if
to hide the fact from his comrades, the
offender will candidly admit that he
has Just come out Of prison, where
somewhat similar caps are worn.
This may or may not be true, but by
the time the prison authorities in ques-
ton can be communicated with - days
are over and Corporal Thomas has de-
parted from out the jurisdiction of that
particular regiment; perhaps to serve
another 81 days somewhere else. The
reason why such men do not enlist in
the regular army is that they are
naturally of rowing disposition, and do
not care to be bound for military serv-
ice throughout the year, finding. prob
ably. more lucrative employment in the
intervals.
1t was found at first difficult to officer
tic militia force. Members of the coun-
tv families were adverse TO Sandhursts
stringent and binding regulations, so in
order to induce young men to apply for
commissions in the militia number of
commissions were yearly thrown open
TO militia officers upon competitive ex-
animation in purely technical subjects.
And from this back door" to the Brit
ish regulars, as distinct from the Sand
hurst entrance, corresponding in the
United States with West Point, such
admirable results have been obtained
that the number Of commissions offered
through the militia have been largely
increased, it having been found that,
while n man may be a numbskull over
his Latin grammar and mule at the
"pons assnorum," he may yet possess
n genius for military tactics and be a
born commander of men.
And not only in officers, but in men
also, the militia has become great
feeder to the regular army, in 1894 5000
passing from the ranks of the former to
that of the latter force. The general
service in the militia is preliminary
training of two months and % days
with the colors every year thereafter,
with the possibility of being called out
for indefinite periods of duty by act of
parliament at any period of national
emergency.
The pay Of the officers when upon
service is the same as that Of their cor
responding grades in the regulars, and
that of the men % cents day, with ra-
lions, and a bounty of ten dollars at
the end of each yearly training, which,
however, is liable TO be reduced by fines
forvarious demeanors.-Chicago Chron-
icle