Tue parade of the Shanghai Volunteers on Thursday week, shewed us as well some of the strong as the weak points of the organisation. It would be folly to suppose that, week after week, the men turned out to their parades unless a well defined esprit de corps really existed. The Rifle companies and the Mih-ho-loong, in this respect, are deserving of all praise. In both eases the Proportion of the men enrolled who actually appear at their post is most creditable to the members of the Corps, more especially when it is remembered that the non-effectives borne on the rolls of each of the companies may be told off now with considerable certainty. Of the remainder, it is not too mach to say that the average attendance has ranged from 80 to 90 per cent, an average far above that of similar corps at home. In some respects, however, the companies are placed at a disadvantage. It is for instance well known that the principles of drill are undergoing a radical change, and thatin a few months the cumbersome impediments of wheels &e,, are likely to be done away with. Still, at the present time, wheels are looked upon as one of the first tests of correct and attentive drill. That the Volunteers composing the force should object to great attention being paid to a movement of the sort, under the peculiar circumstances, is but natural. Itis, on the other hand, equally difficult for the officers in command, pending the alteration of the system of drill at home, to endanger the existence of the Corps by inattention to the present system; which, whatever its faults, has had the merit of having been founded on and perfected by experience.
If, however, wheels and the precise movements of the old platoon exercise are being simplified, and the end rather than the means of drill made the chief object, it is none the less certain that, with the increased use of weapons of precision and rapidity of loading, the duties of skirmishers are becoming of greater importance than ever. What, in fact, a short time ago was looked upon rather as one of the ornamental appendages of drill, is now becoming one of the arts of warfare. We would wish that the attention of the Shanghai Volunteers would be turned more in this direction. We have noticed for many parades past the inefficiency of the companies in this particular, both in the actual throwing out of the skirmishers and in the ignorance of the bugle calls, without knowledge of which skirmishers can never hope to be proficient. We, as outsiders, would bail, and we are certain the members of the Corps would gladly welcome, a chavge in this particular, The use of the bayonet, the weapon, we are almost justified in saying, par excellence of the British army, we would like to see taught with more determination and animation. The use of the rifle has scarcely been tempted in a practical form. The volleys and independent firing of the companies with blank cartridge has been as good possibly as volunteers can be expected to attain. In both, however, We miss a system of supervision as to sights and aims. The practice of target shooting is perhaps carried out, in lieu of those other exercises, to too great an extent, and seems to carry with it some fallacies. The great object of firing is to judge of the proper elevation of the ball, the question of direction, except for sharp-shooters, is of secondary importance. To be able to judge distance quickly, and to lodge a ball within a certain horizontal line, is of far more importance then the most finished shooting at an ordinary target. Another and certainly not inferior desideratam is the ability of the various arms in working together; the support of infantry by artillery, the protection of the latter in close quarters by the former, the Knowledge of massing each branch so that we may best afford aid to the other; all these are subjects on which much remains to be learnt by the Shanghai Volunteers.
Taking the companies singly we notice many of the ordinary blemishes of volunteer bodies. We would like to see quicker attention in the ranks to the words of command, and less promis-cuons conversation. We would notexpect, nor do we think it advisable that silence such as is considered essential in a line regiment should reign in the ranks; there are, however, times for conversation as well as times for silence; and we would, when the men are actually engaged, like to see more of the former. In this respect, the influence of the officers might be used with good effect.
Going farther, we would like to see the artillery, which in case of trial would be our principle arm, better provided with weapons. The guns they have been using through the courtesy ofa resident, have been removed; and they are again dependent on outside aid, for the loan of the Armstrougs with one of which they paraded on Thursday. This is not as it ought to be. We are aware that two howitzers have been ordered from Hongkong, but we look upon them as utterly inadequate, did any real trouble arise. A large' sum is required for the battery of Armstrongs at present lent to the Corps, some twenty-five thousand taels we be We have before expressed our opinion that the Chinese Government owes us something toward the protection of the Settlements. 'Three days' receipts at the Custom House would suffice to pay for the battery; and its purchase and presentation would at all events shew that the Government was in earnest in its promises. Where so much has been done by the community fur its own defence, the additional burden of supplying a battery would at all events be a graceful act.
In the prospect of an increase to the present numbers of the artillery corps, we woald also like to sce its members armed with carbines and_side-arms. In such a case they could afford doable relief to their fellow volunteers, and need not, in case of imminent danger, have to trust entirely to external aid. With so small a force as we possess, it is urgent that each man should be made as effectual under all circumstances as is possible.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.