ENGLAND AND BELGIUM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1631, 24 December 1912, Page 8

ENGLAND AND BELGIUM.

OUR EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

General Ducorne, tho late and eminent chief of the Belgian general staff, is beginning the publication of an important study on the question of British military relief for Belgium in caso of a FrancoGerman war and invasion of King Leopold's realm by Germany. He expresses great confidence in the efficiency of the 150,000 men available in the United Kingdom to take part in a great Continental broil. They ore well trained and equipped, and fit to face any foe, and, indeed, would be of incalculable value in assisting tho present Belgian forces in arresting the progress of a great German army marching through Belgium towards France, provided they were landed promptly enough at Ostend or Antwerp. But the General exnrosses misgivings as to their ea::ly landing. British military and naval policy being at present to gain mastery of the sea bv. the destruction of the German fleet before attempting anv landing of forces. He appears to deplore this policy, as it would allow Germany time to overrun Belgium and strike a decisive blow. I am told that in subsequent instalments of his study ho will preach tho abandonment of this policy, while pressing King Albert's Government to reform and increase tho Belgium forces, so that they max bo ab'e to fight as long as possible for English relief before being overwhelmed by the big Teutonic battalions. This advice, together with last year's war scare, and tho possibility of gravo international strife arising from the war in the Balkans, will be of great use to the Belgian Government as an argument for the Military Reform Bill which they will introduce in the early part of the Parliamentary session beginning next week. Tho proposed reform will cost much money and entail an important increase in taxes, which will be advocated as a necessary sacrifioa for the warding oft' of ever-in-creasing dangers to the safety _ of this small country and for tl>o maintenance of tho present equilibrium of Western Europe.