Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-03

Speclal Correspondence or Inc Star.
LONDON. April 49, 1906
TXCEPTING Rudyard Kipling, per-
r. haps, there isn't an author in this
country who takes greater in
terest in military matters than Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle. and probably not even Mr..
Kipling spends as much time in consider
ing how Great Britain can best be de-
Tended in case of another war as does the
burly doctor who created the redoubtable
Sherlock Holmes.
No one, for instance, has taken a more
prominent part than Sir Arthur in the
movement that is now on foot to increase
the number of effective fighting men by
encouraging rifle shooting in all parts of
the united kingdom. Besides making many
speeches and writing frequent articles on
the subject, the author of THE White
Company. "Brigadier Gerard and Sir Nj
GEL recently set q practical example by
having a miniature rifle range built on his
picturesque estate at Hindhead and inviting
the young men of the neighborhood to use
1t. The result is that a regular rifle club
now exists in the locality, of which the
novelist is said to be one of the best marks
men and one of the hottest members" gen
orally.
Now Sir Arthur has been struck with the
idea that the motorists of this country
would be able to render an important serv-
ice in case Great Britain were invaded by
a foreign enemy. Like Mr. Kipling, the
creator of 'Brigadier Gerard" is an ecstat-
&c deYotee OF the motor ear-having been
fined once or twice for exceeding the speed
limit-and he has just written a letter to
the London Times, in which he explains
how he believes that the automobiIists of
Great Britain could be utilized in case a
foreign army had landed on the coast.
Surprising" says DR.. Doyle. that such
an event had happened. Everything would
depend upon swift action so as to prevent
any cavalry that force might possess from
pushing on in small parties. cutting wires,
blowing up bridges and generally disor-
ganiZing the defense" So Sir Arthur goes
on to suggest that q thousand English mo-
florists should pledge themselves on the first
news OF such an invasion to instantly fill
up their cars with picked rifemen drawn
from their own immediate neighborhood.
and to convey them with a weeks food,
their rifles and their ammunition to the
danger point. Food, rifles and motor
cars" he says, ARE already to hand and
the only factor missing Is the ammunition,
1900 rounds of which could be given by
the government to the keeping of the mo-
torist who signifies his willingness to serve
such ammunition to be stored in his ga
rage in time Of peace.
Every now and then there comes from
South Africa a hint as to the sources from
which Rider Haggard drew his stories of
that land, which Were thrilling his readers
ten fifteen years ago. The latest came
the other day, in connection with the pur-
suit of the rebel Bambata, when veneer
able Zulu chief named Signanda, declared
that he remembered the underground river
that was told of bv the white man who
was always writing otherwise the author
OF Allan Quatermain." and Signanda. who
led the Zulu impis under Dingaan and
Cetewayo. said that it was he who told
n I!arr cd hA CT ~ Nod hn
Lily" which was a common legend among
his people.