THE TERRITORIALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 254, 17 March 1913, Page 5

THE TERRITORIALS.

HELPLESS AGAINST TRAINED i ;ml\. SPEECH BY LORD ROBERTS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 10, 5.5 p.m. London, March 1,1 Six thousand working men attended a meeting at the Drill Hall in 'Wolverhampton, and 5000 attended an overllow meeting at the Agricultural Hall. Lord Roberts had a sterling reception. He moved that the Government should complete the Territorial scheme by the adoption of personal service. He said that the unpreparedness to adjust the European balance of power in Napoleonic times had cost £fi()l),00f!,0fli). To-day the navy could protect trade routes,' but apart from the army's garrison duties only the Territorials wore left to guard England's shores. No general, except in the direst extremity, would lead the Territorials against European forces, to become food for shrapnel. When 1-lo,(ioii French ill-trained levies met 5000 disciplined Germans, (id.OOfl were killed, wounded or prisoners hi three days, and the remainder were panic-stricken. The Balkan War was another lesson of insuuieient training. Lord llaldane had suggested that the TVr- , ritorials would grow more effective every day when facing the enemy, but how many days did Lord llaldane'imngine the | force would exist ? It would be decimated by long-range lire from practised marksmen. It daunted the heart of any experienced soldier to contemplate the fate of such an army. Li a citizen army, merit and diameter should decide who were to be officers. Working men must not fear discipline. "To true manhood.-' he said, "•'! must' were higher words than 'I will' to the King." .MUSKETRY INSTRUCTORS AP POINTED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Xight. When speaking at Oxford last night, the Hon. .Ileaton Rhodes, acting-.Minister of Defence, stilted that for some time past there had been requests that musketry instructors should he attached to each district. They had already imported capable instructors from Hythe. but owing; to the shortage of non-coms, these men had to be employed as area officers. On Saturday he and General Godley had discussed the matter, and had decided to promote four more noncoms, and devote the musketry instructors to their proper work. One would be appointed to each of the four centres. This course, he hoped, would remedy all the complaints that sufficient instruction in musketry was not given.