echelon, the purposes of the linked battalion, the manipulation of
centre, left wing and right wing. Then it may have been worth while-
-if war be ever worth the while--which grown men of sense are
beginning to doubt--to waste two years of a soldier's training,
teaching him the goose-step. In the twentieth century, teaching
soldiers the evolutions of the Thirty Years' War is about as sensible
as it would be loading our iron-clads with canvas.

I followed once a company of Volunteers across Blackfriars Bridge on
their way from Southwark to the Temple. At the bottom of Ludgate
Hill the commanding officer, a young but conscientious gentleman,
ordered "Left wheel!" At once the vanguard turned down a narrow
alley--I forget its name--which would have led the troop into the
purlieus of Whitefriars, where, in all probability, they would have
been lost for ever. The whole company had to be halted, right-about-
faced, and retired a hundred yards. Then the order "Quick march!"
was given. The vanguard shot across Ludgate Circus, and were making
for the Meat Market.

At this point that young commanding officer gave up being a military
man and talked sense.

"Not that way," he shouted: "up Fleet Street and through Middle
Temple Lane."

Then without further trouble the army of the future went upon its
way.