20 OCTOBER 1900, Page 3

All who are interested in the problem of national defence,

aed in the part which might be taken in its solution by cyclist riflemen, should read General Manrice's most inter- ebting and valuable "Report on the Cycling Mancenvres in the Brighton District." [The Report is only privately printed, but we believe that copies may be obtained from Major-General Sir F. Maurice, K.C.B., Headquarter Office, Woolwich.] General Maurice last Bank-holiday made a most interesting experiment in the use of cyclist riflemen in enveloping and delaying an enemy's advance. In his Report he records what was done, and suggests the best way of organising cyclist riflemen. He does not, it must be remem- bered, wish merely to use the highly trained cyclist sections of Volunteer regiments. These are, of course, the elite of cyclist soldiers, and capable of most important work of various kinds. What he desires is to render available the infinitely larger bodies of civilian cyclists. He wants, iii fact, to see the members of the ordinary cycling clubs in town and country become riflemen as well as cyclists, and then to use them for purposes of defence. But most wisely General Maurice wants to keep them cyclists with a knowledge of the use of the rifle, and not to make them infantry soldiers on cycles. He advises, that is, that they should not be encouraged to learn any infantry drill, but should be simply taught, besides the use of the rifle, know- ledge appropriate to the work of moving in a mass along a road, and the arts of taking cover and scouting.