Evening star., 1900-02-01
Composition of the Army.

VI INC hT"ys
4 new feature is being introduced into the
British army that may lead to important
results. The composition Of the army now
is of the highest and lowest. The officers
are for the most part from the best fami-
lies, and frequently men Of title and posi-
tion. The cases where men have risen
from the ranks to the possession of a COM
mission could probably be counted on the
fingers of one hand. In these few cases the
practice is hardly & success. The common
soldiers are recruited from the lowest
stratum Of society, there being no induce
ments for the middle class, since they can
not be officers.
volunteer militia, the gentlemen yeomanry
and the colonials in the present campaign
lends an entirely new feature to the forces
The militia is largely made up of young
clerks. shopkeepers and the like, while the
yeornanry is being recruited more like our
rough riders. from all classes of men who
can ride and handle a gun. The colonials,
OF course, Of the same caliber
l have no doubt that some permanent
change for the better will be the result of
this innovation. 1t may compel the entire
remodeling of the army on new lines and
l find that experts think this possible.
The London Volunteers.
Last Saturday London was in a fever of
excitement in seeing the c. 1. VS., as the
City Imperial Volunteers are called, en-
bark for Southampton. 1t rivaled the
scenes at the departure of the Australian
I.aGcerS. The poor city clerk with his
slim shoulders. made brave efforts to look
like the Australians. and their costume was
similar, hut under the slashed-up hat and
jaunty cockade the face indicative of too
much O'Clock tea gave the effort away
Besides. in many cases the clothes hur-
rtedly got together. did not fit, and the hat
was too large. Still. London cheered itself
hoarse over her own chosen soldiers who
\ mill har-A No hno,
brave on the fields of South Africa as their
predecessors, WHO have maintained the
best traditions of the British army.
On u British Transport.
At Southampton the Briton and Garth
Castle took them aboard for Cane Town
On both boats the accommodation is that
usually allotted to third-class passengers,
with the addition of such fittings as the
necessities of transport call for. 1t is plain
put airy ana comfortable. The space alIot-
ted contrlVcS double debt to nav Ar
night it is a dOrmitory, hammocks being
slung from the deck ehove. By daytime ii
Is dining room and general mess room
The men are divided into ulesses OF four
teen. and each will, to a certain extent,
lcok after itself.
As one saw the severely plain table equip
ment-the rough deal tables, the tin panni-
kins for soup and the horn-handled table
cutlery-one could not help speculating as
TO how some of the spoilt darlings of the
London clubs who are going out would ac-
commodate themselves to this sort of thing
II, however the menage is uncompromis-
ingly plain the food will be plentiful and
good of its kind. The men will have four
meals day. including one substantial hot
meal of meat. When Ihe process of em-
| barkation was completed the vessels cast
| of amid a thunder of cheers and were soon
| on their way down Southampton water
A Reformer Meets His Match.
/ The htig1ous self-advertising bigot, John
| Kensit, has at last met his match. 1t will
be remembered that this enterprising boob