THE " SPECTATOR " EXPERIMENTAL COMPANY. [To THE EDITOR OP
TUB "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Since I last wrote to you our miniature rifle range has, after many unfortunate delays, been at last opened, and I am glad to say that, thanks to the constant practice the men have had with the "sub-target" aiming machine so kindly lent to us by Messrs. Wilkinson and Co., the majority of them were immediately found capable of making very good scores.
Indeed, the results are so excellent that the voluntary practice which continues daily from the conclusion of regular work until dark seems likely to prove rather expensive. The sale of cartridges at the rate of five rounds for a penny, and the money returned if a bull's-eye is scored, certainly promotes much shooting, but the pennies actually remaining in the hands of the sergeant in charge are few and far between. The " bull's-eye " measures only seven- eighths of an inch in diameter, and the " inner " one and a half inches, the range being twenty yards ; yet " possibles " have already been made, and scores exceeding twenty are common. We have also moving targets, running animals and celluloid balls dancing on water-jets. With all these advantages, and the "sub-target" as the educational basis of the shooting, I look forward with great confidence to the results of future practice on a full-sized rifle range. Under present arrangements, one section is daily exercised for one hour on the miniature range and with the "sub-target," while throughout the evening, until light alto- gether fails, voluntary practice continues without cessation. After dark most of the men work at lamp signalling, and many of them are making excellent progress. Morse signalling with flag and lamp commenced this week, and appears to be very popular ; but I do not intend to permit it to supersede the instruction in semaphore signalling until every man has become fairly efficient in the latter. At present a large majority of the men are capable of sending or reading by semaphore a paragraph from a newspaper, with stops and capital letters duly given in the result taken down. In learning the Morse alphabet, progress is necessarily much slower than with the semaphore, but as a good many men are already capable of identifying letters shown at random, with flag or lamp, the results of five days' work are, I think, very gratifying. Most of the drill with arms is confined to the physical exercises; but considering the short time that has elapsed since rifles were first issued, I do not think that any critic is likely to be much dissatisfied with the expertaess displayed by the men in handling their arms. Meanwhile, no attempt is being made to hasten the achievement of a high standard of proficiency in this latter accomplishment; to do so would merely entail weariness and vexation of spirit ; but I am confident that the men will eventually acquit themselves more than satisfactorily. We had a visit last week from Mr. John Burns, who tells me that he has from the very first taken a lively interest in our experiment. Mr. Burns had been watching the drill for some considerable time, quite unknown to us, and was, I am glad to say, favourably impressed. He accompanied us to the gym- nasium, and after our return to camp witnessed the return match in a wrestling contest between a late member of the "Saxon Trio" and a merchant seaman. Neither man gained a fall, and the championship of the Spectator Experimental
Company, in "Greco-Roman style," yet remains to be decided,— after " Sinbad" has had time to renew the skin on one of his elbows. A pleasant feature of our life here is the great keenness so universally displayed in various manly exercises,— boxing, singlestick, wrestling, bayonet fighting, &c. Moreover, the men who are backward in running and jumping always employ a good deal of the little spare time they have at their dis- posal in strenuous efforts to improve themselves up to the standard of the rest. Whatever be the other results of this training, I have little doubt that we shall be able to show one hundred very athletic young men, who will also be more than moderately good shots, prompt to obey, capable of understanding their ordess, and, in conforming to the latter, of showing that they have learned their drill. The conduct of the Company continues exemplary, and the establishment of one hundred and four privates has been reached.
—I am, Sir, &c., A. W. A. POLLOCK, Lieut.-Colonel.
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