New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-17
THE BRITISH ARMY.
ITS lNADEQUACY TO PROTECT The
OVERGROWN EMPIRE.
fNGIJsuMp,y LIABLE TO COMPULSORY SERVICE.
THOUGH FEW OF THEM KNOW IT
TIE VOLUNTEERS AND
THE MILITIA

1t is probable that not one Engiishiha" III
thousand is aware of the fact that ne Is "a''e
TO compulsory military service ther"lSe 'e'
would he heard of those British professions "a
commiseration for the people OF 'o"'"e"'"'
countries who in the familiar WORDS OF inc DIV
ish press are condemned to the slavery oi u.
,.o,.nr the best wears Of their life. not to vol
untary but to an obligatory service as d SUI
o,er II is OF timely interest call attention 10
this wellnight forgotten fact just al 'he i''''
,roncnt when the altogether inadequate cohdi-
ton OF the British Army to meet its require
mcnts is the principal topic of discussion In Eng
ush Coverument circles and when the Admin
;etration is led by popular uneaSin.ss upon the
,ub,oct TO announce that it has elaborated plan
nv which the volunteer force will henceIorlh DC
liable TO service abroad. as well as to othet
phases of duty which have hitherto peeh IL
rardcd as entirely beyond its sphere.
Since the beginning of the century the BRUSH
E,nnirc has grown to wellnight five times It's
original size and in spite OF the reign oil Quce"
Victoria being described as one Ga ,'eace' 'ic i"''
remains that throughout the three-score years
that She has occupied the throne there mas al
ways been some war or other III proh'eS' !"
which her troops were engaged No single year
sine, her accession, in 1891 has passed by Win
out the military authorities being called upon TO
soldiers wearing Her Majcs,ys uniform, fight
ing in some corner another or the KNOWN
world. Yet to-day the size Of the regular army
IS but HIT larger than il was at the beginning
of the century. and II is obvious that II the mill
tar, forces of the United Kingdom In those
DAYS were barely sufficient To meet the re-
Quircmcnts Of the Empire, they are Iaiheh'a"S
iradcquatc to meet the needs of the present DAY
when the Empire is nearly five times the size
that il was then and all Europe has become
transformed into immense armed camp NO
one IS more outSpokcn in his Remuneration OF the
existing military resources OF Great Britain ihan
Field Marshal Lord Wolscley. the Commander
in-C,hlef of the Queens troops IN every part OF
the world and in public speech delivered the
other day at Glasgow he did not hesitate to de-
scribe the army as lamcntaby out Of gear,
and indicated that matters now stood the
utmost difficulty would be- experienced to get
together in the space OF a month even one small
army corps ready TO take the field.
Volt NTARY ENLISTMENT.
Until now. and. in fact. ever since the termi-
nation Of the Napolconc wars at the beginning
of the century the Government has contented
Itself with a resort to voluntary enlistment for
the recruiting both OF the regular army and
Of the militia. But In spite Of the bounties
offered Il has been found impossible To raise
the numerical force above n certain figure,
which IS now declared by those best In a posi-
ton to Judge to be wholly inadequate. IL Is
therefore regarded as probable that not only
Will the Government place the volunteer force
upon an altered footing but that It Will like
wise avail itself OF the powers which II consti-
tutionally possesses to considerably increase
the size OF the militia by means Of compulsory
instead M voluntary, enlistment According to
the statute the Secretary OF state has only 10
intimate 70 the county and city authorities that
a certain quota Of militiamen are required for
service IN order 10 compel these authorities 10
draw up lists OF all male persons ,.twecn the
ages of eighteen and thirty dwelling In tn" dis
trct who will bc chosen by ballot to supply the
necessary quota Of men required from that par
ticuar subdivision OF :hc city or county.
Tho persons thus chosen are permitted 10 ask
exemption on certain grounds. tn" question Of
their liability being settled by the local au-
thorites But thc principle remains. namely
that the Government has the constitutional
right t. call upon every ai!c-bidi"d mai" citi-
zen between the ages 81 eighteen and thirty un
fine Of war the age is extended from eighteen
t. nftv, for service In the militia The period
Of engagement is for SIX years not 81 continual
service. bat only for certain number Of
months or weeks each year. the maximum mum
Lcr If months being six for tn" first year of scr
Vice and two months for every successive year
until tn. expiration II the engagement As far
as possible. the militia regiments which form the
Third Fourth and sometimes the Fliih battalion
f the regiment Of tho o. ;ular army. which has
been raised in the same district and is ID nun'i
IN .rcwith are kept within the limits Of their
Ft,I.I tn n,f only