THE ARMY BUILDER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 319, 19 February 1910, Page 5

THE ARMY BUILDER

VICE-ROYALTY OF IXDTA,

OFFERED TO LORD KITCHENER. By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright Received 19, 12. a a.m. • London, February IS. The Standard Ins published an'lmiiin telegram \,„. v „ „ t ates that Lord Kitchener has been definitely oil'eml the Vice-ivoyaity. The proposed appointment is regarded as a sound step, all shades ot opinion supporting it. REIORT OX AUSTRALIA'S DEFENCES. LORD KiTCMKXKU-'S ADViCS. Received 18, 5.5 p.m. Sydney, February 18. A summary of Lord Kitcheners :e----port has been pubhsheu. it pays a tribute to the excellent material for defence, and the keenness shown by the forces while in camp. It states that the present forces are inadequate ;:s regards numbers, training, organisation and munitions. While the want of population is a danger, the new Defease Act will give sufficient numbers to defend the country effectively if efficiently trained, organised and equipped. The annual cost .when the force is in full working order will be practically the same as the total contemplated under the Defence Act, viz., £1,742,000. The necessary land forces are estimated at 80,000, organised in 84 battalions ••of infantry, 28 regiments of light horse, 48 four-gun field batteries, 7 four-gun heavy and howitzer batteries, seven communication companies, fourteen fieid companies and engineers. The summary favors military colleges with a st.;JF corps, and a number of other recommendations already cabled. As regards the organisation and distribution of the forces, the report atates that the present railway construction, while developing tne country, has resulted in lines more favorable to an enemy than for the defence of Australia. Lord Kitchener advocated keeping military affairs free from political influence. A WORD OF WARNING. Received 18, 11.20 p.m. Sydney, February 18. Lord Kitchener states that the training he saw in the camps indicated a v distinct tendency to go too fast and neglect the essential preliminaries of for more advanced studies

which the troops engaged were not canable of carrying out properly. After referring to the excellent fighting material available, he says that excellent material and the" greatest zeal, though 'indispensable adjuncts, are not of themselves sufficient to enable a force to take the field against thoroughly framed regular troops. While not criticising in detail what he saw at the various camps, his suggestions have been devised to meet the principal defects observed, and to enable camps in future lo be really instructional as well as thorough, and the beet work done during the year. In home training it must be distinctly recognised that a natioial force, maintained at a high standard of 'efficiency, could only be produced by the work of years. Such work must be steady and continuous. Any divergence from the policy decided upon might—and probably would—lead to chaos and useless expenditure of money. Admitting the British axiom that the maintenance of the Empire depends upon the supremacy of the British naval power, Lord Kitchener brings the argument down to Australian conditions. In applying the principle to Australasia, l.e says, considerations of time and space «annot be disregarded. The conduct of a great war depends upon calculated and proper continuation of naval and military and diplomatic forces. It ?s quite conceivable that in future as in 'the paet national considerations may require the concentration of the British naval forces in one or other theatre of operations. It follows that in seas remote from such concentration the British naval force may find itself for a moment inferior in force to an actual or potential enemy. In such a situation, 'although our own ultimate superiority at sea might be a matter of, doubt, some time might elapse before the command of the sea could be definitely assured in all waters. It there-1 fore became tlu duty of all the self-go-Terning dominions to provide a military force adequate not only to deal promptly with an attempt at invasion, out also ensure local safety and public confidence until the superiority of the sea is decisively and comprehensively asserted. For this reason he rccentlv agreed that the home force of the Unitfed Kingdom should be so organised as to compel an enemy contemplating invasion to make the attempt on such a scale that they would, be unable to .evade the naval' lorees. The same arguments apply to Australasia. Its land forces should be calculated and organised on this basis. RECRUIT SYSTEM FAVORED. FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS. Received 18, 11.45 p.m. Sydney, February 18. Lord Kitchener's report continues.— Half of the 80.000 men would be required to secure the larger cities ind defended posts from attack, while the other half would be free to operate as a mobile force anywhere in Australia. The best deience was generally by taking the offensive, therefore there snouid be no difference in the organisation and equipment of any unit. He departs from the training prescribed in the Defence Act, considering that while 'ho cadet training was valuable as a preparation it could not replace recruit training, which was a necessary preliminary to the production of the efficiently trained citizen soldier. For this reason, he classed 18 to 10-year-old men as recruits over and above the peace establishment of 80.000 men, but liable to be put in the ranks in time of war. TTe recommends an extended camp training of up to six clear working days in addition to home training. This would meet requirements up to the 25th year. The first principle he laid down as essential to the success of enrolment was that the nation as a whole should take a pride in its defenders, insist upon the organisation being real and designed for war purposes, and provide the means of properly educating, training, and equipping officers and men; m other words, the force must be the integral portion of national life. He recommends the division of the Comm.mirealth into 215 training areas, arrang-

Ed in 21 groups. No social consideration, no influence, nothing but etiii-ien.'y. should he al'owed to affect the selection and promotion of officers in charge of areas. He recommends the following scale of pay:—Colonels. £SOO to £!>J'i; lieutenant-colonels. £7OO to £800; majors. £550 to £650; captains. £875 to £450; subalterns, £250 to £350. The cost of a military college is estimated at £15,000.