432 
VOLUNTEER ADJUTANCIES. 
effort appears to be now being made to bring the competitions more 
np to date; but so long as the best prizes are given for individual 
merit and the expenses of sending detachments is so great, I am afraid 
these competitions will remain of advantage to a few Corps only, and 
they stand in the way of establishing district competitions which might 
be more conducive to the real efficiency of Corps. 
With Captain Osborn's remarks as to the primary necessity of train¬ 
ing the officers I thoroughly agree; but I believe the only true 
groundwork of such training is to be got by instructing officers at first 
in classes by themselves, or with picked N.-C.O.'s if necessary. Such 
classes are not possible in many Volunteer Corps, and the consequence 
is, many officers' primary training is not thorough. I should like to 
see all Volunteer Officers go through the Woolwich course; but most 
of them are business men and cannot afford the time to go to such a 
distance for the length of time; but I believe much might be done by 
forming classes in the Militia and Volunteer districts of shorter duration 
and under a selected Adjutant, or if available a Gunnery Instructor and 
good Sergeant-Instructor; but, of course, the necessary instructional 
battery would be essential. 
I cannot follow Captain Osborn through his eulogy of War Games, 
for I consider that if they are an advantage to the Volunteer Artillery 
Officer at all it can only be to the Position branch, though I think any 
institution which would encourage the knowledge of the theoretical ap¬ 
plication of drill and materiel to the necessities of war is a praiseworthy 
if not a necessary object. 
I will add a few words as to my view of the prospects of an Artillery 
Officer who contemplates taking up one of these appointments. He 
will find plenty of work to do; he will have plenty of responsibility, 
for in most cases he will be more or less his own master; and he will 
find plenty of opportunity for applying a large share of tact and re¬ 
source ; he will have under his charge a sufficiently large amount of 
equipment and stores to satisfy any Commanding Officer; he will have 
plenty men to manage, and to manage by mutual good will. But do 
not let him expect great results, there will be little to show, however 
much he may do—the result no doubt is there, but it is not too apparent. 
His work will be very different from that with Regulars, and it will 
take him all his time to keep touch with what is going on in the 
Regular service. He is in the peculiar position of being the sole con¬ 
necting link between the Regular and the Volunteer service; and he 
may find that position at times one of difficulty. I believe it is true 
that there is a lack of information on the subject of Volunteer work 
amongst Regulars, and I believe, with some very notable exceptions, 
that Regular Officers do not comprehend the nature of the work which 
goes on in Volunteer Corps, and I fear the result is, that the position 
of a Volunteer Adjutant is not appreciated as it should be. Work 
with Volunteers may or may not be a test of ability, it is certainly a 
bye-lane to ambition. The highest reward obtainable, as a rule—and 
doubtless it is theoretically a high one—is, the satisfaction of knowing 
you have done your best to fulfil a high duty. This satisfaction may, 
and probably will be, tempered by the feeling that you might have done 
better with more experience. 
