BRITAIN'S PERIL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1700, 17 March 1913, Page 5

BRITAIN'S PERIL.

i ' HALF-TRAINED TERRITORIALS. A WARNING BY LORD ROBERTS. APPEAL TO WORKING-MEN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. March 30, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 15. . Six thousand working men assembled in tho drill hall at Wolverhampton to hear Lord -Roberts on national service, and 5000 attendee an overflow meeting in the Agricultural ftill. Lord Roberts, who had a stirring reception, moved that the Government should complete tho, Territorial scheme by tho adoption of personal service. Ho said that unpreparedness to adjust the European balance of power in Napoleonic times had cost ,£000,000,000. To-day tho Navy can protect tho trade routes, but apart from tho Army's garrison duties only tho Territorials 1 would bo left to guard Britain's shores. No general, except in the direst extremity, would lead 'territorials against European forces, as they would merely become food for shrapnel. When 140,000 ill-trained French levies met 35,000 disciplined Germans, GO,OOO of them wero killed, wounded, or prisoners within three days, and the remainder wero panic-striken. , The Balkan War, added Lord Roberts, was another lesson of tho evil of insufficient training. Lord Haldaho had suggested that , the Territorials would grow more effective every day they were facing the enemy, but how many days does Lord Haldane imagine the forco would exist? It would be decimated by tho longrange fire of practised marksmen. It daunted the heart of any experienced soldier to contemplate the fate of such an army. In a citizen army merit and character would decide who would be officers. Working men must not fear discipline, for to truo manhood "I must" were higher words than "I will."