I am afraid that we of this district have become almost too peaceful in our instincts of late, and too nonchalant and supine as to matters concerning our own protection. It is thought by some that a volunteer corps ought .to be organized here, and our youths and others trained to the use of arms. Whether the German system of making every young man both in town and country serve a sort of limited apprenticeship to arms for one year during his youth, not giving up all his time but only certain days or evenings, and so ac customing him to various military manoeuvres Including gunnery and rifle practice. Whether this would not be an advantageous thing for this province remains to be seen. Under existing circumstances it would seem desirable that every settler in our district should be a tolerable marksman and instructed in sword exercise and the use of the rifle. There is one thing that will tell against persons becom ing good shots, and that is the high price of ammunition which renders practice with any kind of gun, revolver, or rifle too expensive to be much indulged in or doubtless mauy of our youngsters would be encouraged in prac tising with these weapons.
