The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-08-20
ENGLAND'S FIGHTING STRENGTH.
The Weakness of Great Britain ns n
Military Power.

In estimating England's weakness as a
military power we have dIawu attention To the fact,
remarks the United Serrice Gpzette, that the sum
total OF forces at her command TO operate abroad
would on emergency he about 10, 500 men, which
number might be Increased by calling out the re-
serve. That power like England, with military
force paper of 563 Sis of every service and of all
arms, should show such Insignificant muster Is
not to be wondered at II the composite and heterogc
nous elements making up her Army be considered.
Tho militia yeomanfy, and the volunteers not to
he taken into account, practically, the event OF
their services being requistioned depends danger
OF invasion OF the declaration Of II European war.
We have consider solely the quota Of regular
forces which number lS9. 600 and out of this gross
total about one hair the force is required for India
and colonies. Thus reducing the equation TO Its
simplest terms, are left to deal with %, 600 men
of all arms available for attack and defense. In the
distribution of this number the different garitsons
have to be provided for, schools of instruction, and
among the non effective must be reckOncd the
and hospital orderlics. out of the remain
der Ireland takes the lions share, Iequir-
Ing corps d'drnts to keep the country from
rising in open rebellion. In the summer Of 1879 the
number of British troops In Ireland was made up thus:
Five cavalry regiments SIX batteries horse artillery
and royal engineers and 10 regiments of the Infantry
of the line. This force has been largely augmented
and now stands at eight cavalry regiments; -four bat
teres royal horse artillery il batteries and com
panies of field artillery and royal engineers, and ~
regiments Of Infantry In general terms II may be
said that Ireland requires 10, 600 more than she did
would take ahcpeful and sanguine view of the situa
ion who could say that the necessity for this extra
force will he transient and not permanent. With this
constant draw OIL our military resources will he wise
to consider what measures could lie taken to restore
the force in ireland TO its normal condition The
number of Infantry regiments could not he reduced
without supplying an equivalent In their place. and rs
dsaTecton In Ireland is not only chronic but appears
to grow more serious every day, the question seems
polite of increasing permanently the strength
Royal Irish Constabulary by TO- 600, which would let
free more than corresponding number Of Infantry
|
In Ireland are by no means of au exalted or martial
nature. Pig-drlving cnttie-sciz'ng, and guarding
bailiiig and processes are unCOngenlal employ
ments, and tend to make the troops unpopular In
| country where soldiers hitherto have been warmly
welcomed. Ten thousand extra cOnStlbulaiY would
| not ohy be more enlcieht IN tines" c'vli pro
ccsSes, but would act MS an Increased detect
prevention of crime 1t must he borne IL
mind that In the event OF any complication fcquir-
Ing England TO send an eSpedtionary force abroad,
| Ireland, Instead OF being an element Of strength,
would be Of weakness; and far from relying
being able to rednce the strength of army of
patton England difficulty would be Ireland uppor
tunity and a stronger force would he necessary To
| maintain order there should we unhlpplly he en-
gagged I'm a foreign war IL will be we'll to face this
view Of the situation and make provision tnr the fu
ture. AS has been proved could not, without the
undue strain of calling UT reserves, muster more than
I6, 600 of all for active SERVICE and of this
force further contingent would lie required To pre-
vent Ireland from taking advantage Of orr embhtrass
| ment with what authority can England speak at !,
conference when the fact Is well known that she could
not place more than To- 900 mon In the field without
uchuulnE her colonies anu leaving nt magazines ana
arsenas unprotected from those desperadoc3 who deal
| In dynamite? Apart from the consideration cf the
question from purely military point of view, the in
crease of tho Royal irish COnstabuary would, pOllii
cally speaking, he attended with tho best results.
The Irish COnstabulary splendid corps, and as
| body deserve To be recognized by granting them a
defined military rank They are well drilled aud 1T
to operate with troops Of tho line. Their equipment
| Is all that could be desired, aud In strength aud
physique they surpass all In regular services, the
Guards alone excepted Their loyalty 10 and has al
ways been undoubtcd, and 1t cannot lie denied that
with 10 900 extra of them distributed through Ire
| land drawn they would be- from all ranks Of the
population, they would do more To preserve law and
order than equivalent number OF the rank and file
OF our army which we can il-aIOrd 10 spare.