New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-18
BRITISH MILITARY STRENGTH.

The British Empire has so long been regarded
naval Power that it's strength on land has
become a neglected If not a negligible factor.
1t is nevertheless an historic fact that British
wars have been more on land than at sea, and
that the honors of the army have been at least
fully commensurate with those of the navy We
might, indeed, reckon the achievements of the
army superior to those of the navy, partly be-
cause the army has invariably had to conduct
its campaigns and win its victories under the
disadvantage of being on foreign soil and in the
enemys country, far from its base of supplies,
disadvantage which the navy has seldom suf-
fered in greater measure than it's opponents,
and partly because the army has almost invari-
ably had to deal with enemies numerically much
superior to it, while, with the exception of Dun
donald's marvellous exploits and a few others,
the navy has in modern times been nearly equal
if not vastly superior to the foe. At the present
time the army is called into action, while the
navy has comparatively little to do. 1t will be
of interest, therefore, to observe what is the
actual army strength of the empire, and to what
extent it is involved in the sending of 10000 or
100000 men to South Africa.
The regular army, at home and in the colo
Mes exclusive of India numbered at the begin
ming OF last year III, 1874 men, and the army in
India "a, 1872 more. The army reserve, composed
of men who had served their regular term in
the standing army numbered $1,000 The vari-
Gus classes of militia and militia reserve, COM
posed of men who voluntarily enlist for six
years, with liberty to extend the term to ten
aggregated 138,961 The volunteers who are
chiefly ri1emen and artillerymen, numbered
263 963 The yeomanry, chiefly cavalry num-
bered 1891. There, then, was a total of 742, 421
trained soldiers ready for instant service. Nor
was it a mere paper list, with great deductions
to be made in actual mobilization. One of the
most marked features of the British army is
the parity maintained between electives and
establishment Whatever discrepancy there is
indeed, is apt to beat least in the regular
army-in favor Of the former, the number of
electives actually SURPRISING by / or per cent
the number required by the establishment. AS
to the individual effectiveness of the soldiers
indicated by their length of service and conse-
quent discipline, it is to be observed that while
the period of service with the colors is three
years in France and Germany and five years in
Russia and the United States, in the British
army it is seven years for short service and
twelve years for long service men.
The above figures indicate however only
fraction of the real strength of the empire in
case of need, or of the United Kingdom alone
OF that we may be assured by a comparison of
them with the figures of the last really great
war in which Great Britain was engaged,
namely, that with Bonaparte In the year 1909,
when the population of the kingdom was less
than 100000, the number of men actually
under arms was 692 800 not counting $4,000
more engaged in the naval service as sailors
and marines Now the present population of
the kingdom is about 100000. A similar per-
centage would therefore give to-day an army of
more than 100000 men, provided by the
mother country alone, besides nearly $4,000
more for the navy and the marines. Nor is this
all. We have not yet taken into our reckoning
the great colonies which in the present emer-
gency are showing themselves so ready to assist
the mother country and the empire. Leaving
Cape Colony and Natal out Of the account be-
cause of the disaffection of so large a share OF
their people, and emitting all the minor colonies,
there remain the Dominion of Canada and the
United States of Australia The former has an
active militia of $4,000 and militia reserve of
at least 100000 more. The forces of Australia
land New-Zealand) have not been so well organ
lied. but those colonies have at least 10000
militia and not less than 10000 in reserve.
These make a colonial force Of 418000 men
available for the defence Of the empire. Adding
IT 10 the 100000 of the United Kingdom, we
have a total of 2,o1s,O00 men in the army of the
British Empire. besides say 425, 900 in the naval
service
These are impressive figures. What would be