The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-09-11
BRITISH ARMY TRAINING.

Tn the concluding paper of series Of critical articles on the needs of the British army, published during the last few weeks in the London Saturday Re- view the writer summarizes the points ing should be introduced into our mus part:
 Shooting is the most important part of the foot-soldiers training, but being good shot by no means always makes a man a good soldier, nor does the pos session of some excellent marksmen make the battalion which possesses them as good one on active service as one which has no shining lights, but all of whose men can hold rifle straight. In shooting we want collec- tive, not individual, excellence. Tail ors, mess walters, and officers servants, fat and scant of breath; old soldiers, who would very likely not pass the doc tor when the battalion went on service, used formerly to be allowed to emerge for day or two annually from the sweet seclusion of employment to make a high score that brought up the figure of merit. We hope this state Of things has passed away. but some sys- tenn of combining an increased amount of marching and tactics with the shoot our field batteries go to practice. With ketry in the same way as is done when gence of an instructor can make itself marks for tactical handling and collec- tive excellence, and prizes, and an or der of merit for all battalions shooting on the same ranges, we should evoke a spirit of emulation which would by it. self improve the shooting of our army in war very considerably.
 Closely allied with shooting is the subject of field intrenchments and field fertilization, and here we have a part of military training where the intelli- gence of an instructor can make itself more conspicuous than in any other. The design of the trench or parapet must be left to circumstances, and it is mistake to eXtol Gas some writers have done) the patterns shown us by the Boers as worthy of imitation, with out saving clause as to the nature of the soil and climate of the theater of war A deep Boer trench suited the dry soil and climate of a South African
 winter we'll. The porous character of the ground and the steep slopes of the kopjes made drainage matter of lit tie difficulty, but if similar shelters were dug on the Continent or in Eng
 land they would often be utenable be-
 cause full of water. What we should initiate is the nice adjustment of the trenches to the contours of the site; the manner in which they were traced to sweep approaches with fire; the flank ing support they were made to yield to one another; the manner In which cov- CT from view was provided for. In cer- tain situations the Boers threw the earth from their trenches behind and
 not In front. Thus mems heads and
 loopholes did not show up against the light on a skyline, and our riflemen
 were given no aiming points. In an- other respect also we learned lessons of ] universal application. Communications are of supreme importance in the prep aration of a position against attack.
 The shooting-line may be often quite securely placed with very little help from the spade or pick. Men may lie close behind rocks or boulders, or among grass or bushes may escape ob- servation, but endorsements coming l forward may be obliged to move expos ed. or men not knowing the risk they run may rashly walk erect. Ammuni- tion may be needed, and in carrying 1t
 forward some exposure is almost inev- itable. Approaches to the firingline are often then sorely required, and probably in their absence it is in rear of the firing-line that losses are most heavy. Supports needed cover also, es- pecially if artillery fire be brought to
 bear, and yet were sometimes all for gotten when we prepared our positions.
 It is in directions such as these that the war has taught us much which it is
 essential should not be forgotten when peace returns and we relapse into our normal exercises.
 The spade will, we are convinced, play as the musket did a hundred years ago. Nor will it's usefulness be confined to the defence alone Counter positions