The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-05

around London are scarcely mature
enough to bear the privations W II cam
paign. IT, now we turn to the militia we
find that only about 10000 are ut present
enrolled. and that these havc received but a
slight military training. The first year
| they spend only two months in the regiment
and in subsequent years but one month. an
amount of practice which cannot be expected
to make good soldiers. SO much for the ac-
tual extent Of the English military power
as regards the two components which alone
have any substantial value. The so-callcd
volunteers and yeomanrv. although nu-
nlcrically imposing, view the profession of
arms more In the light of diversion than of
n serious business.
| We need not say that the soldicry of the
| richest nation on the globe are we'll armed
and thoroughly equipped. But it is not
enough to possess repeating rifles and rifle
cannon, and To acquire experiences in the use
OF improved weapons Rapidity of conccn-
tration is of such capital Importance in
modern warfare that plan of mobilization
must be perfected beforehand, each bat
talon knowing its rendezvous and every
officer his post. Now, this plan Is
more complicated for the English army
/
elements. II, for instance. an offensive
operation is contemplated only the regi-
ments Of the regular army are ordered TO
march, OH the other hand. il an invasion
were imminent, not only regulars. but the
militia and volunteers would bc called under
arms II is in view OF this twofold con-
juncturc that the troops have been dis
trlbuted into eight army corps. each cm-
bracing three divisions. The First Corps,
whose headquarters are at Colchester. in
cludcs only soldiers of the active army.
and 1t is this body which in the event of q
war with Russia would lie the first 10
embark. The Second Corps. stationed at
Aldcrshot, comprchcnds two divisions of
regulars and one of militia, while the Third.
quartered around Croydon, contains two di-
visions Of militia and but one division of
regulars, made up, however. OF the foot
guards, the finest troops in the British army.
As for the other five corps intended for the
protection Of the kingdom against attack.
and whose headquarters aro AT Dublin,
Salisbury. Chester, York, aud Edinburgh,
each includes but single brigade OF
regular troops, or. in other words, the
smallest contingent adequate to sustain
the militia regiments. In word, UNI
less the United Kingdom should he
stripped of these isolated brgades and
left To the unaidcd defence uf a raw militia
it appears that the whole force available for
offensive purposes would Ice the First Corps.
two divisions of the Second. and one division
OF the Third, or an aggregate of 10000 men.
This is probably the extreme limit Of Eng
lands fighting strength on IL foreign soil
Z q hor In o,,I -
no reason to suppose that the impetus given
tn recruiting during the war would more
than Offset the inevitable losses II will hc
seen that this estimate comedies with tho
statement attributed to Sir GARNET WoLsr-
LEY, but it is also plain from the above de-
tails that the statement was an exhaustive
one.
We were informed by late telegram that
some 5000 troops are at Bombay In readi-
ness to be despatched TO the seat Of war. 1t
is at least doubtful whether the Indian Gov
eminent could afford at this juncture To
materially curtail its military resources
1t is certain that the whole northwestern
border is In n state of acute unrest The
conference with the Amir OF Cabul has re-
Gently been broken of. and it is known
that the lato war inspired the Afghan
ruler less with sympathy for the Turks
than with violent hate for his Christian
neighbors. The recent occupation OF Bclo-
chi-tan has made the English especially
odious. and the feeling ha, been adruitly
fostered by Russian intrigue. 1t was In
vain that the Sultan's envoy, some months
ago. advised the Amir to arrange terms -
amity with England. II is snid, too. that
the hill tribes have been greatly stirred !?
by the British Interference at khelat, /
an outbreak on their part j. molnontar y
expected. On the whole the prospect OF aid
from India Is much less favorable than it
was twclvemonth since. 80 much the
worse for those short-~ightcd statesmen who
| held back England arm while Turkey was
yet strong, and the prestige of the Ottoman
| Caliph undimmcd throughout the Moslem
world.
A. regards the effectiveness of the small
army which England could place in the
field, We must not forget that her staff
system is one Of tho worst in Europe. Those
duties which in Germany are concentrated
IN the hands Of the CHIEF Of STAFF, are in the
British organization divided between the
Adjutant aud the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
II /, true that the bitter experience Of the
Crmea compelled the consolidation ~
those functions in the last year Of the
former war, and IL II reported that Il
similar measure will be now taken in the
event Of hOstiltics, Sir GARNET WoLsELEY
being named for the new office, Uuluckily
the same duality Of control which has 30
often paraly2cd the chief command runs
through all the compliments of the army,
through each corps division, and brigade,
II may be said that the state OF things on
the Russian side is not much better, most of
the faults in the late campaign being laid 10
the charge Of the general stan. But the
English We must remember, would bc out
numbered ut least four TO one, and could tho
less afford the plumbers and delays con~c'
Quent upon confused administration and di-
vided responsibility. 70 sum up. our conclu-
sion /, that In n contest with Russia, else
where than In India, allies are Indispensable
to England And here we may point ont
that for fo,lr centuries she has never under.
taken "A continental war with British troops
alone The icats Of Poiticrs and Agincourt
are no longer possible under the conditions
nf modern wa rfnrc. and thpra is no ron .oI