[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR." J Sin,—Referring to
your most interesting and useful article on "District Guides" in the Spectator of March 28th, I should like to remind you that the corps known during the South African War as Rimington's Guides was originally raised very much on the lines you indicate. Men were enrolled from various districts in Cape Colony, each volunteer being thoroughly conversant with one particular district, its hills, farms, mountain passes, roads, rivers, and inhabitants. When information came to the depot that the Boers were in a certain district, the Guides drawn from that part of the Colony were detailed to the columns in pursuit, and proved of the utmost service. After the first invasion of Cape Colony the authorities, believing the attempt would not be repeated, formed the Guides into a fighting unit, and men were enrolled quite irrespective of their local knowledge, much to the regret of the original members of the corps, who believed that their utility was greatly diminished by the change. Quite apart from the value which such a corps as you describe would have in case of home invasion, the training involved in becoming familiar with a district and its positions from a military point of view would be excellent. Had the average officer had a good eye for positions, how many blunders would have been avoided in the late war !—I am, Sir, &c., R. MURRAY WHITE
(late Orange River Field Intelligence Department).
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