£82,174,000 for A Modern Army

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 42, 5 March 1937, Page 5

£82,174,000 for A Modern Army

-Pmwis Asbeu — Copyright.)

I ESTIMATES & LOAN Five Cavalry Regiments to be Mecbanised * SCIENCE CALLED IN *

(By Telegrapb-

(Received 5, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, March 4. The Army estimates for 1937 total £63,120,000, representing an increase oi £7,239,000 on 1936. It is explained, however, in the Hon. A. Duff Gooper's accompanying Memorandum that the Estimates would. have been £82,174,000, constituting an increase of £26,293,000 over 1936 but for the proposal to meet Army expenditnre on equipment works and services, including huge munition supplies to the extent of £19,054,000, by new issues from the Consolidated Fund under the Loans Bill. It is further explained that, wheeeas ia 1936 £551,800 was included in the Army Estimates for the construction of new Government factories, provision for the expenditure in 1937 of £7,916,000 is included in the Royal Ordnance Factories Estimate and issues from the Consolidated Fund under the Defence Loans Bill. The increased expenditure for 1937 is cnainly due to expansion and acceleration of the plans for bringing the military prograinme up to date. ' * There has been marked and cease* less activity during laBt year in every "%! sphere of military poliey, including the mechanisation and modernisation of the Army, the improvement of coast and air defences at Home and abroad," Mr. Duff Cooper says. "Our joint aim is

to produce military forces which will be adequate to supply increased garri' sona at Home and overseas and the maintenance of order in the Empire. The Army establishment, excluding India, is 168,900, compared with 158,400 in 1936 and 186,400 in 1914." i Mr. Dufl? Cooper added: "Although ^ recruiting has improved in recent wepks it is below our hopes and needs. „ E have stated already that six munition factories are being erected in the distressed areas, and others will be necessary. Five Home cavalry regiments are being mechanised and two are being experimpntally mechanised in Egypt." The Estimates for the Royal ordnance factories total £16,164,000, an in- ^ crease of £10,178,000. A British Ofiicial Wireless message adds that, after dealing with recruiting problems and the improvement in barrack accommodation, includj"^ a provision for the quarters of married soldiers being brought up to the standard obtaining for civilian life, Mr. Duff Cooper added that research in the splieres of explosives, ballistics and radiology contiuued to yield important results, the application of which had led to increased efliciency in various arms of the serviee and notably in the Royal Artillery, Boyal Engineers and Royal Corps. of Signals. Beferring to the readiness witli which industry has co-operated in developing national resources for the supply of munfcions, the Memorandum says: "Not only has it been necessary to expand existing and to create new Government factories but to enlist the interest of many firms with no previous experience of the production of munitions and Army equipment. This has been done with the minimum of interfexence with their ordinary commer•ial business."