Armies -- Europe -- History -- 19th century; Europe -- Armed Forces -- History -- 19th century
Their uniforms vary greatly in colour, from green or scarlet to drab
or grey, and in appearance. It is, however, expected that all Corps
will in time present a similar appearance to the Regular Forces, with
the main distinction of silver or white-metal embroidery and buttons
instead of the gold or brass of the Regulars.
The rifle of the Volunteers is either the Martini-Henry or the Snider.
The organisation of the Volunteer Corps is identical with that of the
corresponding Regular Forces.
There were on the 1st January, 1890, 216,999 efficient Volunteers,
besides 7,022 non-efficients—total 224,021.
[Sidenote: +Entrance Of Officers.+]
The mode of entrance of officers to the Regular Army is as follows:—The
candidate, if wishing to enter the Cavalry or Infantry has two routes
open to him. He may either pass a competitive “preliminary” and
“further” examination for the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, remain
there one year, and then enter his regiment direct (if successful
in passing the “final” examination), or else he may be appointed as
2nd lieutenant to a Militia battalion, undergo two annual trainings,
and then pass an examination equivalent to the Sandhurst “final.”
Formerly this latter mode of entrance, _i.e._ through the Militia,
was considered much the easiest, but now there is not much to choose
between the two.
A candidate for the Artillery or Engineers has to pass two examinations
in the R. M. Academy, Woolwich, and then spend two years there. The
order of merit in which the cadets pass the “final” determines which
branch they are to join. As a rule, those passing out high up join the
Engineers, and the others the Artillery.
[Sidenote: +Military Establishments.+]
Other Military establishments are:—
(a.) The Staff College near Sandhurst, which an officer may enter by
means of a competitive examination, after he has served five years
at least with his regiment. Here he remains for two years, and is
instructed in the various acquirements necessary for a good Staff
officer, and in the higher branches of his profession. Having passed
the final examination, the officer is attached for two months each to
the two branches of the service other than that which he belongs to,
and then rejoins his own regiment; he is then entitled to put p.s.c.
after his name in the Army List.
(b.) School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness, where experiments are carried
out and new inventions in gunnery tried, etc., etc.
(c.) Artillery College at Woolwich.—Instruction, etc., in the higher
branches of gunnery.
(d.) School of Military Engineering at Chatham, where officers and N.
C. O.’s of different Corps are put through a course, experiments in
engineering tried, etc., etc.
(e.) School of Musketry at Hythe, for instruction of officers and N. C.
O.’s in the use of, and in details and experiments concerning, small
arms.
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