The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-11 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, JAN. 10, 1870.

Ix considering. the present critical position of the
Volunteer army, one premise may not unreasonably
ba taken for granted : it is at least desirable that the
force should continue to exist. It has lived through
much ridicule and many difficulties ; and it would be
deplorable indeed if it were allowed to melt
away just at the time when its effi-
ciency, whatever may be its absolute worth, is
relatively greater than at any former period. Volun-
teering is at least inexpensive and harmless. It
furnishes innocent recreation; and though it costs
Vte State a yearly tribute, it is less burdensome than
many other popular amusements we could
mention, for it is an unfortunate fact that the nation
tuo often has to pay, and pay dearly, for the
diversion of its members. The Volunteers, too,

represent an amount of active patriotism

which it might not be wise to discourage.
It is true that the value of their services, if an occa-
sion presented itself, is to a great extent an open
question. But it should not be forgotten that the
Imo has continued to improve with very little
a3sistance, and that in many essential particulars it
can boar comparison with any other troops. There
is no reason why proper means should not lead
t) a perfectly satisfactory end. Considering
that so much has 1-een done in spite of
not a little official discouragement, very parsi-
m3nious aid, and a good deal of public incredulity,
it really seems worth while to try whether better
treatment might not be attended with a proportionate
profit. After all, it is absurd to complain that the
Volunteer army is not a faultless military organisa-
tion, when the aid given by the country is barely
enough to support existence. The force must be
worth little indeed if it is not worth as much as the
nation pays for it. To diminish the amount would
be equivalent to a declaration that the Volunteers
were useless, and had better be forthwith disbanded.

On these grounds the changes proposed by Mr.
CARDWELL in the Volunteer regulations are open to
exception. The complaint that they endanger the exist-
ence of the force does not appear exaggerated. The sub-
sidy at present granted is only a precarious subsistence
for many corps, and yet the SECRETARY for WAR
makes an offer which, though seemingly liberal, must
in practice effect a decrease in the net earnings of the
force. At present the subsidy scale for the infantry
is 30s. a year for extra-efficients, who attain that
rank by passing in drill and musketry, and 20s. a
year for simple efficients, who pass in drill, but are
unequal to the musketry test. The former class is
roughly computed to number 100,000 men ; the latter
about 40,000; and there is in addition a large
body of Volunteers who pass neither test, and for
whom nothing is paid. The greater sum is but just
sufficient to meet the most essential yearly expenses
of a Volunteer, so that those who earn only 20s. and
those who earn nothing require help from other
sources, which is furnished by subscriptions and by
heavy payments on the part of the officers. More-
over, even the 30s. grant only meets, and is
only designed to meet, those charges that are
termed " necessary ;" but there are divers expenses
which no corps has yet been able to do without,
though they are not considered " necessary in War-
office phraseology. These, too, have to be met out of
private purses. Now, Mr. CARDWELL proposes to
abolish the distinction between efficients and extra-
efficients, and to make only one grant of 30s. to
every man who passes the higher test. Upon
these terms the twenty-shilling men will be-
come cyphers unless they pass into the
upper class. It is highly desirable that they should
achieve this progress ; but they have not been able
hitherto, and all the evidence is against the probability
of their doing so in the future. Of some 40,000 men
who are earning- the 20s. grant, those who henceforth
pass the higher test will get nos., and those who fail
will get nothing,. It is not at all probable that the
loss on the one category will be counterbalanced by
the gain on the other. Lord ELcno and his brother
officers urge that there is a largo class of thoroughly
efficient men who cannot attend the number of drills
requisite for qualification. The expenses of these
are paid entirely from private sources, and their
number is likely to be swelled by recruits from the
one-pounders, who cannot reach the higher class.
It is obvious enough that a test of efficiency must
bs the condition-of any Government grant. But it
is absurd to expect that every 'Volunteer will
come up to they required standard, mid yet the
cost of the wJ Ql=ben aciatilhad