The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-31

commanding officer of his regiment as
satisfactory, he is dismissed from the
recruiting school. For the next thir-
teen years he is called upon every other
year to put in terms of service varying
from fourteen to eighteen days.
At the beginning of his thirty-third
year the soldier passes into the land
wehr, in which he remains for the next
twelve years. Here he is called up
every fourth year for from eight to
eleven days service. At the end of his
landwehr service he passes into the
landstrum, in which he remains until
he is so, after which age he is free
from military service except in the time
of war, when the government can claim
him UP to 65.
1t is the ambition of every man in
Switzerland to become the best shot of
his regiment, and the government does
everything it can to encourage this
| desire. A man must be able to shoot
well, for the government compe1s him
| to attain a certain proficiency at his
| own expense if he has not obtained
the regulation number of marks when
going through the school of musketry
Picture to yourself a soldier, aged
perhaps As, with a shabby tunic, but
tons unpublished, trousers too short,
kept very much worn, an umbrella
opened in one hand and lady tender
| ly holding the other arm. Such was
the figure that l saw a year ago in the
| streets of Perne. l was with a Swiss
officer at the time. and could not
help remarking that thought the uni
form, the umbrella and the lady made
somewhat queer military combina-
ton:
st quite agree with YOU" said the
captain; "the man is breaking regula-
| lions. But what are you doing next
| Sunday?"
Nothing in particular" replied, 50
| he invited me to come up to the shoot
| ing butts and see the soldiers at the
targets.
Sunday came, and I went up and
\ witnessed some of the most marvellous
shooting that I have ever seen in my
life. Round after round scored inners
and bulls, and there was one man who,
| shooting at a range of thousand
| yards, repeatedly scored a bull My
friend, the captain, came up to me and
remarked:
"Well, what do you think of our
shooting? I should like to introduce
you to the soldier who is making all
the bulls"
We went and found the man. What
was my surprise to discover that he
was the gentleman whom 1 had been
parading with an umbrella and other
Berne. 'gas
Now" said the captain, you can
tell your ccuntrymen that we are not
ornamental but we can shoot"
The training of officers is essentially
practical. Every officer must go
through the ranks, and, after serving
as a non-commissioned officer, if he has
shown intelligence, he can apply to his
commanding officer for permission to
enter the commissioned ranks. If all is
satisfactory he is sent to the officers
school, where for three months he must
attend lectures and is given thorough
instruction in military affairs.
At the end of three months he re-
joins his regiment, still as a NON COM
missioned officer, but he acts for the
month as a second lieutenant without
having that rank. II his work during
this month proves quite satisfactory,
he is then granted a commission.
There is q small body of officers who
are permanent members of the service.
These are picked men, and act as in
structing officers to the various regi-
ments.
The ordinary officer is drawn from
all stations in life. l know a working
blacksmith in the Canton of Vaud who
is major of the cavalry, and a hotel
keeper who is a colonel in the infan-
try.
In the ranks the same condition of
things exist. l was walking one day
in Geneva with a very we'll known
banker. He was in the uniform of a
private. We had not proceeded far
when we met an officer. Immediately
the banker came to the salute. As
soon as the officer had passed l asked
the banker who he was.
He is, monsieur" was the reply,
my captain, and-my clerk"