An interesting account of the methods of the corps of
military cyclists now at work in Cape Colony is given in Monday's Daily Mail. The corps is split up into sections of twenty-five or fifty, guided by members thoroughly conver- sant with the country, their idea being "to push ahead of everybody else, hold strategic positions till the mounted infantry arrive, and then push on again." They have been covering sixty miles a day, and feeding on the country, giving receipts upon the district commandants, which are paid immediately on presentation. On arriving at a village a section at once organises the town guard and places the village in a state of defence preparatory to the arrival of the mounted infantry. They also maintain a perfect corps of messengers, who carry information regarding the state of the country traversed. It should be noted, above all, that "the corps is not following ordinary Army regulations, but the experiment is regarded as affording Army chiefs valuable experience for the future." It is some relief to know that the new corps is not expected to follow the instructions in the preposterous War Office manual of "Cyclist Drill" pilloried by Mr. Wells in the December Fortnightly. In that work, it will be remembered, occur the memorable pronounce- ments that "cyclists are infantry," that the cyclist soldier's valise, "if properly packed, will not interfere in any way with his legs," but that as a rule it will be carried for him in a cart.
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