THE VOLUNTEERS OF GREAT BRITAIN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 107, 6 May 1879, Page 4

THE VOLUNTEERS OF GREAT BRITAIN.

[From the " Auckland Star."] A recent report by the War Office Committee 6hows the condition cf the' Volunteers of Great Britain. It is: abundantly manifest, from the view' taken by the authorities, that the Volantters conetiiute an important factor 1 in all calculations of the military powerof the State. It is held by the military! men in England that in any emergency j the whole of the repuiar army could i be sent out of the country. The War' Office Committee had under considers- 1 lion a project <o organise a Volunteer i Active Service Legion for foreign eer- 1 vice duriog war, but" after an exbauet-! ive examination of witnesees und a! series of questions filled up by com- 1 rnsndiog officers, the committee were '■ of opinion that Buch a force might be 1 raised under the existing organisation. The report also notices the remarkable ! improvements effected in the discipline i and « fficiency of the Volunteers since i 1857, wheo it was first authorised, '• especially by the amalgamation of the ■ VolonteeJs in the general organization I of the national army, and the mobiliza- ! tion scheme. The committee regard ! the Volunteers as " a great reserve ! power in the country, and Iberchaunel ' through which men who do not enter the army or militia are able to enrol ' themselves." The changes proposed ' by the committee are that la each infantry sub-district the Volunteers should be an integrd part of the infantry brigade, forming one regiment of one or more battalions, not exceeding : three, tending to easy mobilization, economy, ideality of feeling, and efß> ciency. Consolidation of administrative battalions, end brigades of artillery '- is also recommended, and it is suggested that the Volunteer force should be - limited to a maximum of 250.0C0. With regard to the discipline of the ' Volunteers, it baa been foundjfhai the > power of summary dismissal has Worked ! well, bdt that this and the- fsiSfcifon of ; fines has been seldom resorted to. Un- : der the present system, however, any j Volunteer who commits an offence may i give fourteen days notice of bis; intention H6 : leave the force, and may ' often escape punishment. The ~committee reoomroend that in theae coses (he discharge should be withheld until after trial. Amongst other recommec- : dations is \tha more thorough iriatruc- '' tion of officers io internal regimental * economy, an' increased amount of drill ' in the force generally, coupled with the ' exemption from reguUr drills of volur- ' teers who' have attended a maximum : number, the limit of age to fifty years ' for enrolment, and exemption' from the ' militia after eight years' service. The i Committee think that, " the, chief di- \ rectida in which efficiency might be j increased, is the genera] adoption of campy." JL\\ the 'officers to wKorn ! printed instructions were sent admit j the great value of periodical ectrarnp- ; meols. They consider one weekVio- ; struction in catup is equnl io s year's l ordinary training, 1 Therefore the cocumitte recommend the Government to ! m^lca an additional money grant' for < this pbrpose.