150 
VOLUNTEER ADJUTANCIES. 
more than attend camp for a week, once a year. But it must not be 
inferred that such officers are useless or inefficient. I have found some 
men who come under this heading who have proved most steadfast in 
carrying out duties, and iu upholding discipline in camp, and more 
reliable for responsible work than many who could pass better examin¬ 
ations in military subjects, and know more of a soldier's life, but who lack 
business qualities. The truly busy man makes a really good volunteer, 
for he brings a well-balanced and clear mind to work at all he under¬ 
takes. At the same time it is very pleasant to have to deal with men 
who can and will devote some time to the study of military affairs. An 
Adjutant will himself learn a great deal by the mere effort of gettingup 
the subjects and teaching them to others, and when men pass their 
examinations well, he is amply repaid for his trouble by the credit 
brought to the Regiment, and the satisfaction he feels at helping men 
to pull through. 
It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the training’ of officers 
should be the first care of an Adjutant. It would appear that we 
Adjutants, as a class, have not taken this sufficiently to heart (I can at 
least own up to this deficiency on my own part). An artillery Lieu¬ 
tenant or Captain has not much experience of training officers, as he 
is generally himself young when he takes up the appointment, and it 
requires great experience, perseverance, knowledge and tact to become 
a good instructor of one's brother officers. However, upon the train¬ 
ing of the officers depends the real worth of an Auxiliary Artillery 
Corps, and when this becomes more recognised there will be little 
fault to find with Volunteer Artillery. 
The Adjutant is not only instructor to all ranks in the Corps to 
which he is attached, but chief adviser to the Colonel in all matters 
connected with the Corps. When new buildings are required he 
assists to design them, when new batteries are raised he assists to 
organise them ; he must train the drivers and Nos. 1 in driving and 
riding, and generally superintend the conversion of Garrison Artillery 
into Field Artillery when batteries of position are required; he takes 
care that recruiting is sufficiently maintained and, in short, does every¬ 
thing in his power to render the Corps efficient, and to keep up its 
popularity in the neighbourhood. He is also a missionary of military 
habits and technique , and must strive, far more than in the Regular 
Army, to imbue his Corps with the spirit of the British Army. In the 
Regulars, good military customs and esprit de corps are deep rooted, 
and handed on in regiments without great effort on the officers' part; 
but, in the Volunteers, who have only existed thirty years, and have 
become consolidated still more recently, military knowledge and 
customs are little known, and must be imparted by the Adjutant and 
his staff by every means in their power. A modified form of the aural 
instruction now given to young soldiers in infantry regiments would be 
a great assistance. If this be well done all those who pass through the 
ranks of the corps will be more or less influenced for good; their dis¬ 
cipline, loyalty, manliness and physique will be strengthened, they will 
gain some touch with the army, and, should emergency arise, those 
who have left will re-join gladly, and swell the ranks of our defenders 
when the need is greatest. 
