A HOME OF TOMMY ATKINS. 6 1 



the men under them as the best of their officers. Authority 

 of a different kind, perhaps, but with the military maxim, that 

 to be able to command one must be able to obey, so ingrained 

 in their very nature that they are the mainstay and dependence 

 of their superiors. The discipline in the army is of the strictest 

 nature, and " Tommy " has plenty of work to do ; but his leisure 

 moments are well provided for, and when he does honestly what 

 his duty requires him to do, he has plenty of chance for recrea- 

 tion. His life has many advantages that his fellows in the same 

 class of life as himself do not enjoy ; for although there are with- 

 out doubt many men of education serving in the ranks of the 

 army, still by far the greater majority of the recruits is taken 

 from the lower ranks of Great Britain's vast population, and 

 " Tommy " is much better housed, clad, and fed than the great 

 mass of the poorer classes of the people. 



A canteen, where the soldier can purchase at moderate rates 

 many of the little luxuries of life, libraries, reading, smoking, and 

 recreation rooms, are attached to the large barracks at Alder- 

 shot. Here theatrical performances, often of considerable merit, 

 considering the resources at their command, are frequently 

 given by the men, and the soldiers can always rely upon the 

 generous support of their officers in their amusements. The 

 theatre or music-hall at the Royal Artillery Barracks is gener- 

 ally well attended almost any evening, and a good " song-and- 

 dance " man enjoys no mean degree of popularity among his 

 comrades. In a handsome building erected on one of the main 

 streets of the town private enterprise has also liberally contrib- 

 uted towards the culture of the soldier's mind and the softening 

 of some of the hardships of his life. 



But it is in the innate love that all Encrlishmen bear for 

 athletic sports that " Tommy " comes out in his full glory, and 

 his officers do not disdain to meet him on equal grounds at 



