New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-13

tFrom a Special Correspondent Of The Tribune
London, April 24.-Lord Charles Der
esford once informed me, with consid
cradle certainty, that it takes eigh'
years to train an officer. II he IS not
already aware OF the fact, l could now
take him to a place where an efficient
officer is created in four months.
There are several such establishment
scattered through England. The one
WAS privileged by the War Office &c
visit is situated within twenty miles
of London. It's official title is the Art
lists Rifles Cadet Unit. Before the wal
the Artists Rifles were one Of the cracs
battalions of the territorial army. The
men were drawn from the upper middle
class and their pride was their esprit
de corps and their efficiency. Most OF
its members were fairly well to do. But
money counted for nothing. Merely
amateur and inefficient soldiers were
rot wanted.
A few months after the outbreak OF
stbe Artists were sent to the front
They did their turn in the trenches
Then came the battle of Ypres, when
the British army suffered its heaviest
losses. The 7th Division in particular
had been almost cut to pieces. some
regiments had scarcely an officer left
General French sent across to the
Artists and asked the colonel II ne
could supply fifty officers from among
his men. Without any trouble the
colonel made his selection. In their
"Tommies" uniforms the men went and
took charge Of the units assigned them
and they made good. Tho nex: week
fifty more were asked for and sent. A
week or two afterward the Artists were
taken from the trenches and turned
into an officers training corps for turn
ing out trained officers in the shortest
possible time.
At present one battalion of the Art
lists trains men in France. There IS
further detachment in London. An
other battalion is stationed near the
capital. The 800 stationed here have
their headquarters in hut camp
About 200 of them live in an old Eliz.
sbethan mansion. Others in groups OF
twenty occupy vacant new "art" houses
in a new Garden City" They are
fed like fighting cocks and, on the
whole, their quarters are enviable.
All join IS privates. They are dressed
like the ordinary recruit and largely
treated as such, whatever they may
have formerly been used TO. Disci-
pine is of the strictest For the first
week or two 1t is probably irksome 70
the majority. But then this battalion
is schooled on two principles. Inc
first is that only the man who has
learned 10 obey without thinking and
without finching can secure obedience
from other men. The other Is that the
corps must be self-supporting. II a
hut has TO be built or some engineer
ing work performed, il must be done
by men Of the regiment. This is not
difficult. because every profession IS
represented. But just as an instance, !
saw lecture hall constructed at a
cost of S600-the price of the material
which ordinarily would have cost
three times as much.
roT general training purposes t"e
unit is divided into the battalion" and
the School" The former consists OF
four companies, each of come half
dozen platoons graded according 20
progress The best platoon in each
company is known as the probationary
platoon" and consists of the best
trained men, who are put through mus
kerry courses, machine gun instruction,
range finding, etc.
Before a cadet can be admitted TO