BRITAIN'S ARMY FOR HOME DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1916, 26 November 1913, Page 7

BRITAIN'S ARMY FOR HOME DEFENCE.

•REORGANISING THE TERRfc TOIUALS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, November 25. Tho Council of the Comity Territorial Associations is submitting to tho Premier a new plan concerning tho Territorials. According to tho "Daily Mail," the Government will decide to reconstitute) tiie special reserve and Territorials into a second lino of tho Army, raised wholly on :i militia basis, whoso war establish-, ment can bo fixed much lower than at present. , ' Many authorities estimate tho future Home field Army at 150,000, and tho garrison, or coast fortress, troops at 60,000. Tho latter would bo assisted by small local bodies of .regular Garrison Artillery «nd Engineers. Tho reforms would enable nearly half tho Territorial Field Artillery to lie disbanded, SPEECH BY LORD HALDAiNIi. (Rec. November- 26, 0.30 a.m.) London, November 25. Speaking at the Caxton Hall, Lord Haldane, Lord Chancellor (who as War Minister created tlio mw-h-eriti-cised Territorial Army), said that ho was strongly opposed to every form of compulsory military service. To give, a,s had been suggested, a few months' compulsory training would 1 requiro an cnoriiioiis-mimber filters, and ho did not- know where they were to bo I'ouml. Ho felt convinced that tho Army and Navy must be professional arms. "Wo did Extraordinary things at a pinch," lie said, "but we svrjj tlio funkiest nation in peace time. .Wo sea bogys behind overy bush." If, ho continued; the policy to provide for overy contingency wen> carried out, it would mean national bankruptcy. Ho did not believe that anybody wanted to meddle with us.