The National Rifle Association's meeting at Bisley opens on Monday. Rifle shooting is unfortunately an expensive hobby. Ammunition costs much more than it used to do and rifle barrels are quickly corroded by modern powders and hardened bullets, But of the value of good rifle-shooting in warfare there is no earthly doubt. At the last Bisley meeting Mr. S. M, Bruce, the Australian High Commissioner, said that the stimulus given to rifle clubs in Australia proved of immense value when the War began in 1914; 75,000 riflemen were immediately available and ready. And in the British revised infantry. organizations 72 specially trained sniper-stalkers are to form cart of every rifle battalion, In this month's "National Revie i military writer sums up most interest ingly the lessons of the wars in Spain and China. Exact information from China is lacking owing to the <bsence of foreign military observers. Sut certain facts seem clear.
One deduction both from Spain and China is the limited effectiveness of aeroplanes. He comments specially on the manner in which the Chinese keep their railways going in spite of he hundreds of Japanese raids, mostly accomplished with no opposition. As for the aeroplane's power to intimidate and create panic, the writer emphasizes that in both Spain and China the bombing of undefended towns merely infuriates the attacked and intensifies their will to resist.
The writer thinks it is clear that -ancuvring power in the air is more valuable than ultra speed, and that he usefulness of tanks is also limited particularly of light very rapid tanks with which the infantry cannot keep Neither of these mechanical means, he thinks, can drive home and achieve final victory. For that, good infantry remains, as all history has shown. indispensable. And for good infantry 300d rifle shooting is obviously equally needed.
Hwaiking, Ho., July 12.
During the last twelve years Hwai-king (Tsinyang), a former prefectural interior city of political and commercial importance extending back into the ancient historical times of China, was rapidly changing to become a modern city of great importance, The extension of the Tao-ching Railway and the boats of the Chin River brought shipping facilities close to Hwaiking North and East gates.
The merchants dealt in. grain, hides, bamboo, cotton, medicinal herbs and many other products that brought wealth and prosperity to the surrounding counties, Suddenly, however, the political changes of January 1938 and following months brought stoppage of' communications, and the destructive forces of war by land and air causing destruction and death to great numbers of peace-loving peasants. War is still going on with famine, flood and disease in addition,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.