The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-04
From the New York Sun.

dia.
From the New York Sun.
The British army is a peculiar institu-
ton. Like the British constitution, it is
the outgrowth of circumstances rather
than the outcome of a definite scheme.
Unlike the great European armies, it has
practically nothing more than a regimen
tal organization, and nothing more seems
possible Attempts have been made to form
brigades, divisions and army corps, but
when a mobilization is ordered some of
the battalions are found to be serving in
Africa, Asia and America, and the others
ycattered all over the British Isles The
regiments are territorial in name, but are
seldom stationed in the county from which
they take their name. At recent mobili-
cation it was found that the battalions be-
longing TO the county were serving, one in
South Africa and the other in Ireland A
battalion belonging to another brigade,
which in turn belonging to another army
CORPS, had to be substituted. If mobili-
cation of that other army corps were
dered it would have to pick up battal-
ion or two wherever it could find them. OF
the battalions now in South Africa not
half have gone with the divisions of which
they are supposed to form part.
The RegimentaI Organization
regiment is composed of two battal-
ions of regulars, two of militia, and from
two to five of volunteers. The only eXcep-
ton is in the case of the Cameron High
landers, who have only one regular bat
TALON The peace strength of a regular
battalion is 800 men, so men to a company,
and when it is sent on active service it is
raised to its war strength by drafts from
the sister battalion on the home station.
The militia battalions are about the same
strength, but the volunteer battalions of
Ten contain from !, 200 to 1900 men, and one
battalion in the west of England has $3.50
men.
Thus a regiment may comprise from 5000
to 10000 men, but only the regulars are
available for active service and as half of
them are perpetually on the foreign Sta
lions there only remains one battalion
of each regiment for an emergency such
as the present. Many of the baNaions
ordered to South Africa found themselves
very weak when the call came, having
been repeatedly called upon for drafts for
the sister battalion on foreign service, and
they had stil further to weaken them
selves by wedding out all the recruits of
less than one years service and all the
weaklings who may be able TO do gar
risOn duty at home, but who are unable
to stand foreign climate. These are all
left behind at the depot, and the battalion
is raised to its full strength of LOCO men
by drawing from the army reserve.
Regular Army Strength.
The regular army is 10000 strong ex-
elusive of colonial corps, but only half
of it is kept at home, 1900 being station
ed permanently in India and the remand
er in the colonies and other dependencies.
The army reserve is composed of men who
have served six years with the colors and
are transferred to the reserve 10 put in
the other six years of their enlistment.
They retire into private life on an allow
anCe of sixpence day, and are obliged
to rejoin the oolors whenever called upon.
When called out for service, they receive
the regular pay of their rank, and the
government makes an allowance for sub
sistence 20 their wives and children. The
army reserve is SO 600 strong, and when it
is exhausted, as it would speedily be in a
great war, the militia reserve Is called
out.
The militamen is a civilian for eleven
months of the year, and for the twelfth
he is a soldier and serves in barracks or
under canvas. Most of the militia bat
taions are much superior 20 the regulars
IN physique. and, perhaps, in intelligence,
and very little inferior in drill and dis
cipline. A bounty and small addition to
his pay is given to every militiaman who
Will enroll in the reserve, and In many
counties Inc nobility and landed gentry
VIII offer an additional bounty in order to
nave as many reserve men in their coun-
~ regiment as possible. The militia re-
serve Is probably 10000 strong, but no Of
hciaI returns have been published of late
years.
w nile these reserves are being exhaust
cd another has been growing up The re-
crults left at the depot have been COM
Pieting their years proba tiOnary service
and have become eligible for foreign serv-
zee There is always a rush of recruits
IN war time, and the men at the depot
form military school for the training Of
these newcomers, so that there is always
greater or lesser number of regular
troops on the home station 10 stiffen the
militia and volunteer forces on which the
country will rely for protection in the
event of all the regular battalions being
sent abroad. The militia is 1900 strong.
Yeomanry and Volunteers.
Between the militia and the volunteers
stand the yeomanry cavalry. compact
little body of 1900 horsemen. It is com
posed of the most part of young farmers
and sons of the county families. Each
man furnishes his own horse, and it must
be at least the second best in his stable.
Their training is something the same as
'he militia, but the yeomanry get no pay
10y Ouh an dtiOWduce Ol dDOul OU CtitS a
Day for the use of their horses. The yeo-
many are accounted by military experts
he most efficient branch of the auxiliary
forces.
The volunteers occupy very much the
same position in Britain that the militia
10 in the United States except that they
receive no pay whatever. The regiment
draws a capltation grant from the gov
eminent for each man who renders him
self efficient each year, but the grant is
barely sufficient to pay for the uniforms.
Any man who does not qualify for the
grant has to pay IL out of his own pocket
under penalty of being sent to Jail by the
nearest police magistrate. The govern
ment provides the arms and accoutre-
lnonts, and the regiment has to pay for its
own armory and drill grounds. The eX-
penses of the officers are so heavy that
only rich men can afford to hold com
missions Most Of the officers are up
r5nted Professionally. and would be re-
paced by regular officers from the retired