We notice with great satisfaction an admirable speech _ made
by Lord Dundonald at the opening of the Winsford Town Hall on Wednesday. Though men in civilian employment cannot afford to give up many consecutive days to training with their regiments or in a brigade, Lord Dundonald believes they can spare time to make themselves thoroughly good shots and to keep themselves physically fit. "I maintain that a man who has gone through a recruit's course and possesses the qualifications I have just mentioned can with a very few days' training a year be made a really good soldier." That is a very strong confirmation of the proposition we have repeatedly put forward,—i.e., that the Volunteers are of great use even though they cannot find time to bring themselves up to the highest standard, and that great care must be taken not to break up the Volunteers by asking too much of them, under the mistaken idea that if they cannot spend a fortnight in cairn; they are of no use. They would be of use, provided they were good shots, if they had never spent a day in camp. Lord Dundonald takes up another point on which we have insisted,—namely, the great saving produced if a certain number of our soldiers could live at home, could be "day boys," as we have expressed it. He is also in favour of earmarking a certain number of Volunteers for active service by paying them a retaining fee. In regard to judging distances, Lord Dundonald spoke excellent sense and made a. very interesting practical suggestion. He suggests that just as the cyclist clubs put up notice-boards on all country roads, so those who desire to teach people to judge distances should put up boards inscribed, "Distance from here to white object N.W. [or whatever magnetic bearing it might be] is — yards. For answer see other side of board." The white object should always be the same, and the distances should be altered con- stantly. Lord Dundonald's speech had plenty of other original and practical suggestions. The ingenuity and in- ventive talent of his race is clearly as strong as ever.
Previous page
