BRITAIN'S DUTY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14833, 26 November 1913, Page 9

BRITAIN'S DUTY.

TO DEFEND TEE EMPIRE. LORD HALDANE OX DEFENCE. (Received November 26th, 15.80 a.m.) LONDON, November 25. Lord Haldane, speaking at the Caxton Hall, said that Britain's duty wasto defend tho Empire- and encourage distant parts to defend themselves. Tho time might come when Canada, Australia, and South Africa would not only do so, but assist one another to take care of Britain. He was strongly opposed to every form of compulsory service. To give, as suggested, a few months' compulsory training would requiro an enormous number of officers, and ho did not know where, they were to bo found. Ho was convinced that tho Army nnd Navy must bo professional. "Wo do extraordinary things fit a pinch," he went on to say, "but we are tho funkiest nation in peace time, and see bogeys bdiind every bush. If the policy to provido for every contingency were carried out it would mean national 1 bankruptcy. Ido not believe that anybody wants to meddle with us."' Prior to five years ago, when it was reorganised by ±vu- Hakiane, tho British • Army was organised in tnreo lines — (i) tho Regular Army, with its Reserve, {2) the Militia, (3; the Auxiliary Forces (Volunteers and Yeomanry). Now It 'is organised iv two lines —(1) tho Regu.ar Artny, with iis Reserve- aiu Se- vi cuu JUeiervo (the latter replacing tho old Militia.), (2) the Territorials. The reserve consists of old soldiers, but the Special Reserve is a pcculiarly-consti- : tuted body. Tho idea is to attract boys and men who have not had training, but the authorities have been compelled to take old soldiers. Recruits were to bo trained for six months (since reduced to three) on joining, and undergo a certain amount of training •every year. Unliko the Territorials, Special Reservists are liable to foreign service, and to all intents and purposes the Special Reservo battalions are part of tho Regular Army. They take the place of tho old badly-organised Militia, which supplied, recruits to tho regular Array, and repaired tho wastage of war. But tho Special Reserve has not been a success. The establishment has "dwindled from 130,000 to 80,000, and there was a shortage in April last of 747 officers and 22.160 men. "Yet everything -has been done to get recruits," snys a critic, "every shred of efficiency has been sacrificed to obtain paper strength." Tho training is said to be inadequate for a soldier who practically ranks as a regular. The Territorials are still considerably short of the establishment.