"Ready, Aye Ready!"

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 60, 12 March 1914, Page 5

" Ready, Aye Ready!"

TH2 BRITISH ARMY.

FIGURES FROM THE ESTIMATES.

L Br Electric Telegraph—Copyright] {.Uaiiej/ Prksb Association.") London, March 11.

I Colonel Seely, Secretary for War, in introducing the Army Estimates, said that although there was a shortage of 8000 regulars, there was a surplus of 13,000 reservists. I The speeding-up of mobilisation had been remarkably successful, an expeditionary force of 162,000, complete in all details, and 50,000 of all arms could be ready in a few hours to go anywhere.

Though the Territorials were 65,~ 000 short, the year's recruiting had been the biggest on record, and there was a continuous and substantial increase in efficiency.

He would not say that such an army would be able to meet every Imperial call. For this they would want the help of the Dominions overseas, but our army would be able to cope with a bolt from the blue. The National Reserve was now over 217,000. If Britain went to war tomorrow she would want 102,000 horses. There were 275,000 available. It was untrue that foreigners were depleting the British supply. Tests for accuracy showed the American rifle first and the British second, but the British was superior in all-round reliability. \