BRITAIN'S ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1315, 19 December 1911, Page 5

BRITAIN'S ARMY.

UNREADY AND INEFFECTIVE,

Bi TelecraDh—Press isßociatlon-CopyriEht London, December 17. Lord Roberts, in ,1. letter to tho press, deprecates Lord Hnldano's optimism. "We hnvo just been an the brink of a, great war, but tho Regulars aro unlitted for war," declared Lord Roberts. "Our rifles are inferior to tho I'rench and German, and our artillery scarcely more satisfactory. It is difficult to writo temperately respecting the Territorials, who luck the essentials lor modern wnrfnrc-dis-ciplino, and precision." Lord Haldano, in replying, said ho would rather pay more to increase tho Navy (hau to increase , (ho supply of halftrained soldiers. Despite what was said about the efficiency of the German soldiers, our own Regulars wore the finest in tho world. THE PERIL OF THE TERRITORIALS. During 1911 the training of the British ierriton.il lores, wrote a military correspondent of tho London "Morning loh recently, -underwent a complete change from high, ambitious standards to elementary work suitablo to tho depep ot knowledge possessed by partially trained men. In this, therefore, we find the abandonment of the useless imitation of the Regular Army system of training. . . . Where the old plan failed tho now ono succeeded, but wo aro at the close of Mil still left with fourteen divisions organised as such, but untrained for cooperahvo work in the field for no other reason than that tho men havo to win their bread before they can soldier at all. so much for the development of the training at tho period when results were expected by the War Office and demanded by now circumstances of international gravity. "Far moro serious, perhaps," continued the 'Morning Post" writer, "is tho question of numbers. Tho Force was given a « establishment much below that of the old Volunteers and Yeomanry. Its numbers wero a minimum for Homo defence when tho Regular Army should be called > b ™' , for safety every man of tho Jlo.ooo should have been obtained by now. By every dodge and artifice of advertiseuieut men were sought, and to-day, or rather on September 1, when the moans of attracting recruits to the' colours havo been exhausted, the Force stands 45,000 short of its minimum safety numbers. About 270,000 has for years been the' proved maximum of recruiting for tho Volunteers and Yeomanry. Only iu war time have the figures exceeded 300,000, and the task which Lord Haldane set himself was that of recruiting to war numbers in time of peace. He failed; tho law of averages did not vary for him, and tie ramifications of tho new scheme showed the proven maximum in numbers obtainable in previous years to be unalterable. "The period is fast approaching when something like 100,000 four-year men will bo duo to leave the Force, if they wish, on completion of their service. The year 1312 will be the crucial year. A rough estimate from important centres shows a decrease thy month, and where battalions have been canvassed there is indicated V™ ™i e " et sbort:ai ! c > i"> tlio big oxodus, of jO.OOO men, which, added to tho present shortage, will reduce the strength to tho level of that obtaining in tho early history of the Volunteer Force. In London the shortage will bo heavier than in the country since the recruiting was more artihcial. In six months' time-before another training season begins-tbe fate of the lorco will bo decided, and as recruiting is now a negligible quantity and certain coming outgoings arc known the facts of the year point to a perilous shortage tho result of which no one can adequately foresee." *