Hawaii Holomua, Volume I, Number 25, 16 ʻOkakopa 1893 — THE P.G. ARMY. [ARTICLE]

THE P.G. ARMY.

IirMNtM Pitate !<qurr, A st>-called kalialion drill waa performed before a large and f rery «ppreciative audience on f Pahiee S*!Uare la>*t Satordav afternoon at 5 o’eloek, ander the command of "eolonel” Soper oae of the coinmanders-in-chief of the forces. For the sake of tuose pf tbe men \rbo “have l*een tbere liefore and the few cfficers who knev their btisiness, w • sneald mildly snggest that until the batta!ion is in a better shape and a little more drilled the puhlio exh bition takes plaee on the gronnds in front of the old barracks or in some more excluded p aee. It mnst be embarrassinp for the parties mentioned to take pnrt in such a droll atfair as w:<s the drilI !ast Satnrday. The men nndoubtedly d-d their best. but how is it j>os8ible to make s<ddiers—nnt for the battle fi>*ld. but for the parade gronnd—out of men who never have been t(i<ght R\ mnastics aud who havo bee i gathered together without the slighteSt reganl to seize, or sl>!ipe, or gait. or form. Captain Zieglor’s companv presented the bo>t appearance, bnt we hardly believe it ths even satisfactory him. The men are evidently uot taught to “march. ’ They bob their knees up and down like spavined horses withont gaining anv gronnd. Carl Willing was about the only inan on the gronnd who marched. The manuer in whieh the Colonel aml his stiti ran aroand was verv hnmorous. The great commander-in-chief generally assumed the well-known attitude of Napoleon, and never responded to the salute of his noxt in command, or his adjutant when these ofticers reported to him. Napoleon 8oper should uot eat fat pork for dinner, before a batta!ion drill; it sticks in the throat and makes the commands ifidistinct and very unmusical--and then when he eomiuaiul» a haiialion he shonId ce«se addressing them as a company. Tbe eommanding ofiicers evidently consider it im]K>sing. and healthv for the rides to have the meu bring them to the ground with a tliud not by any meaus a simultaneous thud, bat souudiug like hail ou a corrngatcd iron roof. lt is cbaracteristic of the • r>uy that the battaliou always was headed by the doct>r the quarterniaster general and the commisariat ofiicer. Undoobtedly tbe man who pays the money. the mau who furuishes tbe grub, and the man who doot >rs them after eatiug it. are tbe mo*t imfx>rtant fuuctionaries in the P. G. Army, but still it woald look l>etter if they were allowed to stay at home or keep qau>t bebiud tue eolouel. Wuere by the way was the ambu!auce? Did tbe Doct<>r carr)’ one io his pot*ket? We admit cheerfnllv that it was a grand sight to see the Sorgeou General with a white haudkerchief iuserted between Ihe lmtinus of hia anilona trying to vaccin*te himseif aud Mr. Hall wiih bts formidable sword. but isn t it dacgeroos? Councilioi Emme!uth looked brave, but gloomy—as if be was going to eolleei a bill from a refn*ctoiy debtor. The drnmmers look j>artieu!ar pain to look the ‘ otber wa]K* wbenever tbey pass- i

»1 the Co!onel, prob*blv being afraid of being dazxled by tbe splendor of tbe and so iose tbe niarching time. Thfa batta!ion so f«r naako» a poor showing. and we soppoee that the exbibition «ra.s most)v for the pnrpose of siiowing otf tbe new anifonns for wbicb the taxp,iyen> have. paid. Tbe amUeoee wus large «nd treateJ the whole :itfiir as a barle<qae or a circos—even the P. G. supporters eoaM not look at the men rnnniug a-muvk without giving. went to their amnsement. The Chief Justice was tho most coaspicaous person on the groands koeping near by a gentlemau with a kodak presamably desiring to be eraboiiied iu a pictare witb the dead and dying beroes. Iu spite of His Honor's etfurts to follow the Colouel s example and do the Napoleon act be lookeel inore to tbe puhlie like Piekwiek U.sq. . than like tbe great soldier. ! Another drill is promised for next week. If the government wouM sell tickets t > the show Mr. Damon wouM finally find a sonrce for financial revenue besides peddling postage staraps.