The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-02-24


in the march than the boys of the pre-
ceding company had done, but did moi
line so well and there were some slight
traces of raggedness in the movements
en- masse across the field. The men
at one moment particularly, when they
were lined up facing the Capitol build
ing close to the sidewalk. seemed toe
much afraid of stepping on the toes
of the barefooted boys to preserve their
formation at it's best.
Following the drill of E Company
Lieutenant German with his two-gun
battery gave an artillery drill, with
most deadly volIeying of blank car
tridges, that was so realistic that hard
shower of rain coming in the midst of it
did not drive a single person in all the
large crowd to shelter. A round of ap-
plause rewarded the artilIerymen. The
crowd was generous. in that regard,
all the time. and every company and
every officer has partisans.
Tt was growing somewhat late, and
there were still spits of rain in the
air when Captain Samuel Johnson with
Lieutenants W. w. Carlyle. and ]. j.
DoaneIly, led the crack company of the
National Guard on to the field. The
/ captain looked a leader, and his men
a troop of winners They wheeled into
the square from the Court building
side. thus reversing the usual order, and
came down as one man to the grand
stand. breaking into platoons as they
came on, but getting back into line
formation in time to come to halt
by one motion. 1t was like the move
ment of a perfect piece of fine mechan-
ism 1t did not seem possible, as
matter of fact, that this could be
company of men, men actuated each by
the impulses that sway the minds OF
men. It seemed, rather, many-headed
animal with one intelligence dominating
it-and that, in effect, it was 1t would
not be the perfectly drilled company
that if is if the men were not as obe-
dent to the master mind as the parts
of a machine are obedient to the in
telligence that directs it. No matter
how complex the movement-and the
drill of Company f was the most COM
pick offered yesterday-the men moved
through it, each in his own place, with
never a break nor a false motion the
whole time One movement, especial
w called round after round of applause.
cd f1on nTl6 a
the men had come down the square at
the charge, yelling as they came. they
wheeled suddenly into platcons and
stood, back to back. in the ideal forma-
ton to receive cavalry. Literally, the
spectators were carried off their feet
by the maneuver. 1t was the best thing
seen on the field during the day.
But if the men of F Company were
perfect in their drill, they were per-
/ feet likewise in most of the other
points that go to make soldiers. The
brass of their knuckles and their car
fridge belts shone in the sun like gold
They raised their rifles for inspection
properly. and not speck of dirt could
. the regular oOO0N
Every tunic set WELL every mans out
fit was adjusted properly and every
mans hair was even cut to the same
length. apparently. They were all
mart of the same machine, and all the
parts were as like as different men
could be made by dress and accoutre-
ment. The Judges even failed to de-
tect any man with the sights on his
gun not at the proper distance mark
when it came to the firing drill. And 1t
is most important thing, when a man
is in battle, that he should shoot
neither too high nor too low-that ne
should shoot where his enemy is. Men
do not go into battle to make smoke
and a noise.
Company F left the field, like winners
as they came on, led by the band and
escorting the colors which had been
stationed in front of the Governor while
the drill was in progress. The company
saluted the colors as they came for
ward. and that in itself was a pretty
sight.
Then the crowd gathered in front OF
the grand stand, and there was short
wait while the judges cast up the per-
centages of the three competing com
panies Captain Pearce> announced the
result Company F wins" he said,
with percentage of 1913; Company +
is second with a percentage of $50. and
Company C is third with percentage
of s25.''
The crowd received the announcement
of the result with a cheer, and at once
broke up. 1t had been the biggest day
in the history of the Hawaiian National
Guard, and the soldiers had shown the