Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-09
The British Military rorccs

Inc military lOrceS OF Great Britain as now
organized are composed of Cd the standing
army, CD the first class army and militia re-
serve, CD the militia, ti) the volunteers and
t0) The second class army reserve. The regular
or standing army tabOut l32.oOO Strongl cor
responds in organization and duties with that
OF the smaller regular army in this country
Inc hrSt class army and militia reserve have
no counterpart ma the American system. They
are composed respectively of men who have.
served three years or thereabOUtS m The regu-
Tar army, and the militia. These men now
loIm part OF the civil population. hut aS soon
as iarlament sanctions the royal order. they
VIII he expected 10 repair to the BRIGADE depotS
at which they are enrolled.
The militia tNhWO StrOngl c0TrrSnaudS in
some respects 10 the National Guard oT This
state, but the discipline is nearly ~ stringent
as IN The regular army. The militia j. only
SeHt out of the United Kingdom The mem
hers OI this branch Of the service are paid 4
small sum annually. The volunteers GSnOOl
Strong) correspond more closely TO the stat
troops in this country than the militia The
regiments are composed mainly ol young men
engaged IN business occupations. and are
commanded 10y officers selected by themselves
and approyedhy The government
The second class army reserve N0W0 StronC)
i composed OF Old pensioners. who are now on
autH. uGt are expected to repair 10 military de
pClS and serve when called ont
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT MAY DO
In recent article on the British army Sir
Garnet W ol>eiey gives interesting information
which throws light on the contaminated
measures of the government. According la
our existing military system, he saws upon
war being declared. the militia i called out
and hands over lis reserve al once 10 the line
WhO together with our first class army reserve
would give H. about 10000 good men TO bring
up our line bdttalIOnS 10 war strength. Our
Second-claSS army reserve. consisting of old
soldiers, although past The prime of life would
supply uS with about l5,COl bayOnetS quite III
for garrison duty. The four companies of reg
uiar infantry now At each of the seventy
brigade depotS would at once be formed into
cadreS of seventy depot batidlionS. and begin
recruiting locally. To them would he dis
patched all the men who last year Joined the
battaiOmS 1t is Intended TO engage im active
service.
THE FORCES AT ENGLAND'S COMMAND.
Regarding The forces which England may
call into rcqUi>itiUn, Sir Garnet WOlSelcy
makes an Interesting statement: e. At no pre-
NlOuS period. he says, ''of our history have
we ever been So strong. in 4 military sense. as
al present In 1884 We were very weak i'm field
artillery: the military force i'm these islands
was under lO,WD meh. and there was no re
serve whatever beyond some pensioners who
were too Old for field service. Were war de
claTed 10 morrow, about 100000 drilled men
would fall into line If required, supported by
3IZ field guns, manned and horSed by the rOy5I
artillery. That number would roughly be
made up as follows:
Standing army tat hOme) ............... g9OO'
Army and militia reserve ............... 40OOl
Militia...... .............. S50Ol
oluhteefS ...-.... --.....-...,.....- lSl,n
Total Al. nn