THE BRITISH ARMY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 14, 11 October 1919, Page 7

THE BRITISH ARMY

HOW THE ORGANISATION' WAS REVOLUTIONISED

"RECOLLECTIONS" OF LORD HALDANE By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright London, October !). The "Rccollcctions" of Lord Haldane, who was Secretary of State for AA'ar from 15)05 to 1912 are appearing-in the "Westminster Gazette." They show that a searching investigation into the Army organisation in 101)11 revealed great deficiencies, particularly in artillery and medical transport, and supply. H would have required two .months .Ui place 80,000 men in tlio field. I'nincc was con-' suited, and was of opinion that" tho machine was so slow as to be of little ■ use in the event of an unprovoked German attack. It becamo necessary to revolutionise the organisation, which was subsequently developed so as to enable if to be extended lo the whole of the I'impiro after a conference with the Ministers of the Dominions in 100". After-three years, the mobilisation and transportation for HiO.OOO men, rapid enough to permit them" to take up their appointed places withintwelve days,'became practicable." It is inaccurate. Lord Haldane remarks, to ,say we were caught unprepared. AVe fulfilled tho contract, mobilised without a hitch,, at II o'clock, in the morning ot' August 3 tlio whole of the Expeditionary Forcc, aiid began to transport them across the Channel thirtyeiXihours later,: when war was declared. Simultaneously, we mobilised the Territorial Force and other, units, the wliolo amounting in all to half a million men. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

LORD HALDANE'S MISSION TO BERLIN VON TIRPITZ'S -ADVERSE INFLUENCE, (Rcc. October 10, 11.20 p.m.) ( - Lonrion, October^. I/>rd Haklnne; concluding, his recollections in tho "Westminster . Unzette," deals especially with his piissioii to.Ber- , liii in 1912, aiid refers to' the efforts to arrive at an understanding, moro ijarticularly regarding the ambitious Gor-, man Fleet, programme;.but he found, von Tirpitz exercising an adverse influence, and steadily gaining power, which.Neither the ex-ICaiser nor Bothniann-Holl-wee? was able to withstand. . Lord Haldaue 'believes that Bethnianri-Hellweg disapproved at heart of the policy leading to the outbreak of war. Lord llaldarie - concludes, "Germany lies prostrate, not dead. We must pre-pare-by otudy and, otganisation against her competition ill scientific . industry. She will not atlempt for generations to rebuild on military foundations, but there are other fields of activity." Lord Haldane opines that the people both of the United States and..through-, out, the' Empire are coming to realise this.—Router. -