The times., 1899-11-05
.BNGLAND'S ARMY SYSTEM
1t Is Complex in Comparison With
That of the United States.
init of Organization the Battalion,
Which Is as Large ~ an American
Regiment - Composed of Regulars
and Volunteers Some Confusing
Points-RndicaI Changes Constant.

The British military system seems ex-
tremely complex when compared with that
Of the United States. particularly in the
matter of the formation of bodies OF troops
and the terms applied to them. In the in-
fantry service the unit of organization is
the battalion which in numbers approx
mates the American regiment. while the
word regiment. in the British army, is ap-
lied to body Of troops which may vary
in numbers from something less than a
brigade to almost a division according to
American methods.
The unit of drill is the half company,
commanded by a lieutenant or second lieu
tenant. The number Of commissioned
officers and privates varies from eighty five
to one hundred and ten The war strength
of d battalion is eight companies, carry
ing l0l2 men and twenty-nine line officers
The latter includes a colonel. lieutenant
colonel three majors. eight captains, and
sixteen lieutenants The battalion is sub
divided into four sub -battalions of two
companies each, the first OF which is COM
manded by the lieutenant colonel and the
remainder by the majors.
To each regiment there are two bat
talious for foreign service known as regu-
lars There are also two battaliOns of
militia for home service. The militia bat
talions are Theoretically Of siX-cOmpany
formation, including sol men Of all ranks,
but in time OF war they are recruited up
as necessary. In addition to the battaIions
of regulars and militia there may be one
or more b9rrgli1a4- of yOluufpprS
stance, the Cheshire Regiment part OF
which is now in service in South Africa, has
five battalions of volunteers.
Prior to the outbreak of war the first
regular battalion was stationed in India
and the second at Limerick, ireland. The
third and fourth battalions, militia. are at
Chester and MacciesfeId, respectively. The
i've volunteer battalions. which. before the
last reorganization of the army system was
perfected, were known as the Cheshire
Regiment have their stations at Birken-
head, Chester, Knutsford, Stockport, and
Congleton
one or the confusing points in the Eng
lish methods Of reference to military bodies
is the custom of giving division the name
OF the whole. Thus each of the nine bat
talions OF the Cheshire troops may be sep
arately referred to as the Cheshire Regt-
ment. Similarly confusion in the mind OF
an American is caused by reference to sub
battalions as battaIions, and it is exceed
ingly difficult to tell accurately just how
many men are involved when the number
of the battalion is reported only
In the order Of service the regulars take
precedence and are generally known as
the foreign service men. They are kept on
a war footing at all times and theoretical
ly at no time are more than nine battalions
of the whole national body Of infantry al
lowed to fall below the standard of num-
bers
In creating the larger bodies of British
troops. including brigades, divisions, and
army corps, it is seldom that more than
one battalion from each regimental divis-
ion is included. There are four battalions
of eight companies each in an infantry bri-