17 OCTOBER 1914, Page 2

We wish we could have welcomed the Canadians with better

weather—something more like their own glorious Indian summer. The men, we are told, have only one regret, and that is that they were not taken at once to the seat of war. They have, however, plenty of Boer War veterans among them, and these will no doubt impress upon the younger and less experienced how needful it is that they should have a good dose of training before they go to the front. They want this on two grounds—first, in order to get them into condition after their long voyage, and secondly, in order to supplement the training they have had in Canada, which was necessarily short. They will soon begin to realize that it is not enough for troops to be able to shoot or to know their drill and regimental training. They must also thoroughly learn brigade and divisional work. Unless this is done, they will be seriously handicapped at the front.