Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-02-10
MANUAL OF ARMS.
Regulations Soon to Come Into Effect
in Maine Militia.

The captains of the local companies
nave received a copy of the new orders
that are soon to he issued by the war
department for the use of the militia
companies. The orders are contained
III 4 book of L couple of hundred pages
and about three inches square. so
'here IS multitude Of new things for
the ollcers and men to learn. The
mann object of the rules. as far as
'hcE nave been looked over by the 10
c'u olilcers. is TO simplify and codify
'ile commands and movements of the
companies. For instance the COM
mana OF 'fnurs right" and such or
derS VIII be heard no more: in itS
pii!ce VIII be said squads right This
IS d"ne because i'll SkirmiSh work the
command IS always by squads ana 50
IL Is desired TO have il the same i'm
the other work. The rules will also
tend to make some of the movements
much quicker than they We're before
and will make the fighting movements
especially so. The style is that useI
by tho British army.
''PerhapS the best illustration Of
what the new rules do is in the setting
up exercises said n local guardsman
in speaking of them. Here a large
number of the exercises that were of
no material use, but We're mere show
movements have been eliminated. so
that the setting up exercise is much
shorter than it was before. Another
thing that has been done is the cutting
out of thH command of short steps,
in their place we now have half steps
4 H.. 4 50, ersx
'"The general rules on the rifle are
also radically new. but the manual is
the same except that in fixing bayo-
nets they do not have to come to the
position Of parade rest. the new style
oi baNonrt making it unnecessary. By
means Of This the handling of the rifle
can bc accomplished much quicker
than before. Under the old rules a
soldier mad 10 stand still to get his
rife in position to march; that is, he
had to make three distinct movements
before he started to march after the
order had been given him. Under the
new rules ne does this at the same
time that he makes the first three
steps. one movement for each step.
Anyone Whather familiar with military
movements or not IAN see that this
viii tend 10 make the starting of al
company much quicker than it was
before.
"PrrharS the most radical change
next to the change from fours to
sounds is that Of the distance between
the lines. Under the old rules the men
We're six inches apart. this has not
been chnn%ed. but the distance from
breast to back which WAS formely 16l
inches * now to be 40. Il change that
will make Il great difference in the drill
movements. Under the ola style the
four, turned on Il pivot ut the COM
manl fourS right or left. the fourth
man acting on pivot, but now the
second set must oblique around in
Or'lcr To 10 in line aS. if they turned
With the fourth man as 4 pivot. they
would he some distance Out Of the line
when they started to march ahead
again They will have to make a
swing that will require some nice
work on the part Of the fourth man to
bring them into the exact line. This
viii tend 10 make a little more show
in the marching of n company ana isl
the Only place in the whole regulations
where they do tend for more show.
"Anoth~r radical change is in tn" |
,narrhinG by suads operating with 4 |
company. The corporal maintains his |
nnsition. t!,at "f three races TO the |
cont at all times: before he wen; |
three PAGES in tile rear VIXEN the com |
rlny came to q haii. |
The formation of the companies j. |
the sam" eXr..nt the distance hetw 7an |
ranks being 10 inches instead of Is. |
'Tha rnn,O1OV IN Cvtt nICi order iS TN |