The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-17 00:00:00

THE ARMY ESTIMATES.

The House went into Committee of Supply, when the con-
sideration of the Army Estimates was proceeded with.
~°ll a vote, providing for 137,632 men on the establishment
the Regular Army, exclusive of India,
Lord Harlington made the usual statement on bhe Army
?Cattmates. Premising at the outset that his newneas to
"lie_ office would prevent his going into any question of
37 reorganizetion, and would confine him to a simple
"atement of the present condition of the Army, he painted
"it that the increase of 4146,000 was about accounted for
the expense of training the Irish Militia, although,
to various transfers of account and exchanges
'",h the Navy, the real inerease was greater. Oa the
,"ttliect et recruiting, he roticed a slight improve-
6ent in the ' waste" of the Army; but the recruit-
il‘g had fallen off during the past year. The improvement
trade and the matins out of the Reserves parly ac•
l'nnted for this • but the chief cause was the raising of the
140 sanctioned fast year, and it was intended to piva the
eusneeting and medical officers for the future greater lett-
as to physical tests, without positively lowering the
es-muard to the old level. Next ha gave some details
_ to the successful mobilization and sutsequeut demobili•
of the reserves on the occasion of the
• TP,!"11 expedition, and mentioned that their number,
(1-'e,t was 24,085 in 1882, was expected to rise to 31,000. He
azicribed also a plan for creating a Supplementary Reserve;
ge, When the whole system had been fully worked out, he
It would be possible to send off a corps sl terntie at very
• rt notice, and that if protracted operation" were neces-
u„Y we had an increasing and efficient Reserve to rely
IA• The difficulty as to the Indian drafts would be met
911°wing the home battalions to recruit in excess
bet heir establishment during a certain part of the year
t 'ore the drafts were sent out: and in like manner he
ztehed on some of the salient features of Cavalry reorgni-
ye,„.."l, which, however, it is not intended to deal with this
•vo':!• After touching briefly on the Militia and Volunteer
-L. 'es the noble marquis, in alluding to the mortality in the
Zgo)l3,tten campaign said that during a period of three
ese:„t"—iroin July' 19 to October 9—the average daily,
etoi;gtil ot the force in Egypt was 13,048; the admis-
lilt - to
hospitals were 378 wounded, and 7,212 cases of
hi2e,s. and accident. The deaths which occurred were 82
killed in action and 11 men in consequence of wounds.
wut,i_ei about 3 per cent, of the admissions to hospitals for
Or rds ended fatally. Seventy-four men died from illness,
ilioeli:ar cent, of the men admitted to hospitals on account of
the ifiYG die.d-iis consequence of accident, and diving
the ;37'1'40 home there were 87 deaths. This statement of ,
wouh!iall percentage.of men sal° died from wounds or illness'
the hO hoped. remove the doubts that had existed about
e,rrhneY of the hospital arrangements. The noble
CIA explained the extent to which the War Office has
the recommendations of the Committees on shooting
to b•
raress uniform Re said, "A committee was appointed
(1111 re into the question of the colour of the undress uni•

, form, and they have reported against the red uniform,
on the ground that it is too visible and not sufficiently ser-
i viceable, They rec-mmend gray or khakee colour, between
which it is difficult to cliocto as far as visibility is con-
cerned. There is. howeVer, this difficulty about applying
khakee dye to serge—namely, that it is not durable. But the
difficulty has been overcome, and the recommendation of the
committee is being carried mit exrerimentally. This is a
matter which involves tentlmental considerations, and it
is by no means ctaain that either officers or men wculd
willingly change the colour of red, to a Lich they have been
5) hug accustomed, and which has linked with it so many
honourahle memories. (Hear, hear.) The khakee colour
has, however been long used in India, where, I believe, it
is popular. But it would not be wise to force the change
upon the Army, and we shall, therefore issue a certain
amount of clothing of the new colour as a tentative test
only. It should be noticed that the committee do not
recommend any change of full-dress uniforms. They only re-
commend that an undress suit of khakee colour shall be the
service uniform of the Army. We propose to issue to the troops
at certain stations an undress uniform of the new colour,
and to issue similar uniforms to certain battalions at home
If commanding officers are willing to-try the experiment."
Dealing with the store vote, the noble Marquis said the
Ordnance Committee had recommended that all guns should
now be constructed of steel, and accordingly the Depart-
ment was now engaged in the manufacture of steel guns, for
both the Army and the Navy. In conclusion, he again re-
ferred to the Fgyptian expedition, which, he said, had put
the new system to a practical, if not severe, strain, and
enabled the Government to say that it had worked success-
fully and easily, and that the country had reason to be
satisfied with the result of recent changes.
The customary desultory discussion followed, in which
the details of the Estimates and the salient features of
Lord Hartington's statement were canvassed by Colonel
Stanley, Colonel Alexander, Sir W. Barttelot, Sir J. Hay,
Sir H. Fletcher. Lord E Cecil, and others. In the middle
of it Mr. Illingworth interpolated a motion to reduce the
first Vote by 5,000 men on economical grounds, which was
supported by Sir J. Pease and Mr. H. Fowler.
Loral Hartington replied, and the amendment was
negatived by 114 to 38.
The number of men and the pay and allowances,
re 4,121,300, were voted, and sonic other business having been
disposed of, the House adjourned at live minutes to two
o'clock.

In the lloUss or LORDO, March 13, the Payment of Wages
In Publichouses Bill went through Committee, after the in.
troduction of a provision to prevent publicans themselves
from being subjected to a penalty for paying their own
workmen in their publichouses.