Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-05-05

ENSYtANW~ QUO 4 esp s d
EENSSE>> Bocrs have co1i-
EX1NMZsSa-~s>I PEELED her In six
l~1f- inonthS 20 rake
the empire for
troops. 1t may be that there Is some.
thing In the talk Of European conflicts,
but after all the query put to the Brit.
ish colonies to know how many sol.
diers they can furnish In an emergency
may have reference solely to South
Africa.
Official figures place the total Of
troops sent to South Africa In this war
nt nearly 250.O00. The number ef-
fective for operations is $4,000 men
and 3S6 guns. less the recent Boer cap.
lures. Recruiting is still being pushed.
In peace times England has maintain.
ed In the colonies. at home and in In.
dla an army ola quarter Of million.
True, some of these troops have been
sent to the seat Of war. but with the
reserves called out to replace those or.
dered to the field the total under arms
remains the same, sc. that may be said
to have occupation now for half mil
lion Of men. She has more than that
under orders, for she has made draft
upon her last reserves. and. including
these. the army establishment of Eng
land amounts to 100000 men. The
vast army which steps to tune Of Lord
Wolseley's war drum is made up Of
three classes-the troops In active serv.
ice at all times, called the regulars;
the reserves, divided into three divi-
slons. and the volunteers, answering
theoretically to American militia. Colo.
nlal volunteers are not included in
these estimates. The reserves are a
vital partof the establishment because
they are bound to service when called
upon. The first class of reserves are
soldiers who have served a term In the
regulars and upon discharge accept a
monthly wage from the government,
for which they bind themselves to re-
Join their colors when summoned.
They have all served six years and are
trained soldiers. When the South Afri.
can war began, there were 47.00O of
this class under 80 years Of age and
$4,000 between 80 and 38. At the close
of the second six year term the re-
serve is discharged from the army and
no longer liable to draft. It is this
class who have served their IL years
or more whom the queen recently ap.
pealed to to return to duty. voluntarily.
The British militia is local defense.
corps, organized upon the same plan
as the regular establishment. In this
branch of the. military service a re-,
cruit volunteers for term Of six years,
but only serves one month 10 IL with
the colors. During this month he un.
dergoes thorough training in barracks
or field camp. At the end Of six
years the militiaman is discharged, but.
may voluntarily enroll In the militia
reserve. when be gets small bounty
and slight addition to the pay he re.
celved in his first term. At the out
break Of this war the militia, including
the reserve, numbered about 10000
men, Of which number 10000 were on
the roll Of reserves. During the Cri.
mean war DO per cent of the troops
sent to the front were from the militia,
and in the crisis put upon the empire
by Dom Paul's lighting ultI,natum the
milltia battallohs were mobilized at
the same time as the regular reserve.
Next In Importance to the militia is
the yeomanry, body Of $4,000 horse
answering to the independent mounted
troops In the United States. The men
III this branch are farmers sons and
the sons. Of county families" as the
phrase goes In England, Each man
furnishes his own horse. and his only
allowance from the government Ia 90
cents a day for the use of his horse
while on duty or drill.
The volunteers Of England have been
compared to the United States national
guard to the disparagemeIit Of the lat
ter. The force comprises 2G4 900 men.
The regimental organization Is per,na-
nent. with responsible staff aud regu-
lar army Instructors. The government
allows the regiment grant each year
for every man who qualities and also
provides arms and accouterments. but
the regiment must provide Its own
armory or drill ground. If recruit
does not qualify and pass the require.
ments, he is forced TO pay from his
own pocket into the regimental fund
an amount equal to the government
grant. Much Of the expense of main.
tanning militia regiment devolves up
ON the officers. and only the very rich
can afford to support the titles. These
are usually incompetents for active
service and are replaced by officers OF
the regular army when the regiments
are called out to light. AS all the per-
manent officers are from the regular
force the discipline Is rigid: hence up.
on taking the field under strange lead.
ers there Is little cohesion In the ranks.
The estimate OF three-Iuarters of a
million men for England's military
force does not include the 10000 ma
tive troops In India who are available
for service in any part OF the world.
Besides. the princes Of India maintain
$4,000 troops which they urge upon
the imperial government for crises like
the present. and In addition to the na-
tive troops under arms as such Great
Britain maintains native force of
$4,000 armed men under the guise OF a
n -