ARMY RE-ORGANISATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 27 February 1907, Page 3

ARMY RE-ORGANISATION.

ME HALDANE'S SCHEME EXPLAINED. A FIELD FOECE AND A TEE" BITOEIAL HOME FORCE. PROVISION FOR NEARLY HALF A MILLION MEN 300,000 YEOMANEY, MILITIA AND VOLUNTEEES PBOPOSALS FOR ARMING k]SD TRAIN lIS G. LAST TEIAL OF VOLUNTAIiY srSTEM. Ecceived 26th, t),57 p m. Lo.vno.v, February 20. The Bight Hon. R. li. Jlaldanc, Secretary for War, in a speech lasting 190 minutes, explained his army reorganisation scheme, on a basis d two lines instead of three.

The Field Force, he said, is proposed to consist of six divisions of infantry with artillery, and four brigades of cavalrj, totalline 160,000 oflicers aud men,

The Territorial Home Force is to consist of existing militia, yeomanry and volunteers, transformed into a homogeneous body of fourteen divisions of fourteen brigades, totalling 300,000. The Yeomanry will form the cavalry of the Territorial force, while the guns now being replaced in the regular army will be transferred to the Territorial army, which will have 125 batteries on a four gun basis, besides the howitzers and heavy guns which will shortly be available.

Finally, Territorial divisions and brigades will be organised in twelve districts on a county basis, and rifle clubs and cadet corps affiliated. Ihe men ai)e to be recruited for four years' service, with l.berty to re.tiw oa giving three months' notice and upon paying ±ls to compensate tne State for loss of training. •' IThose Electing to remain after four years will form the reserve. ' JThe period of camp service will bo ;t fortnight wherever possible, and in W.r time, the Territorials go into camps for a half-year's training. t Th® County Associations are to be formed of prominent county official* and a military element, all under the Army Council's control. • The Commanding Officers of Volun- j teeia are to be relieved of thei mvsenl | financial liabilities. I

.Volunteers will receive good fifteenpJunideiß Converted int(o B3i« BBtimatea devote £IO,OOO to convert ten batteries.

The cost of the actual forces is estimated at £4,431,210. The estimated cost of the new Territorials is £2,891,409. Although the first line .is proposed to be composed mainly of regulars, it will include (ifteen squadron of Yeomanry, white a special-contingent on reserve, 78,500 and men, enlisted on a non-regular basis, may be utiiised on mobilisation in ammunition columns for /the Army Service Corps, Medical Corps, and Engineer duties, and to meeft the half-year's wastage. The bulk of these will receive a halfyear's recruit training in a nucleus battalion stationed at the depot of every itwo battalion regiment, and the join -the reserve, only returning for a fortnight's training yearly. Upwards of one-third of the special contingent be required on mobilisation, the nest being available in drafts.

The whole scheme, said Mr Haldane, had been elaborated with the compietest harmopy the Ajmy Council and. himself, and endorsed by the Imperial Defence Committee. Mr Arnold-Foster, Secretary for War in the late Government, severely criticised Mr Haldane's underlaying work as destruction until the comstruction .was proceeding satisfactorily. Sir C. Dilke asked for an assurance that precautions for safety had been taken during the transition. Several newspapers emphasise that the voluntary system is ou its last trial.