New-York tribune., 1905-07-24
THE BRITISH ARMY.
Are the First and Second Lines
Weaker Il fter Al the Reforming?
London. July Is.

London July 15.
Englishmen have faith in Lord Roberts as a
practical soldier When he says that the army
is not in better condition than it at the out
break Of the Boer war. and that the reserves
not adequate for the maintenance of a fighting
force OF equal strength in a similar emergency,
his word is accepted as authority that Is unin-
peachabe. The various schemes OF military re-
organization introduced by Mr.. Brodrick and
Mr.. Arnold-Forster are not understood when
there is conflict Of expert testimony respecting
their utility, but whatever may be the estimates
on paper or the sophistries of debate, every
Of plain mind knows what is necessary as
safeguard for the British Empire It is not
conscrtpt army, but a system Of organized
serves. which will keep the country prepared for
a military crisis. The officers OF the regular
service with few exceptions have little faith in
anything except a conscrpt army, but gov
ernment proposing universal service In England
would be short lived indeed A defensive force
Of auxiliary soldiers and reserves organized on
the voluntary basis is the only substitute for
such an army. and when a supreme emergency
arose in South Africa six years ago there
dissatisfaction with it. although the regular bat
talions stiffened with reserves and militia
men, and the bulk OF the reinforcements had
ceived military training volunteers. What
the country wants is positive assurance that
the defensive forces IN reserve are stronger and
more efficient at present than they were in that
momentous crisis in the fortunes of the empire.
What It receives is unequivocal denial from
the wisest veteran an1 abIest fighting man in
the service and a series Of protestations from
Mr.. Arnold Forster that his work is not under
stood and that the reserves have never been in
better condition and that they improving in
efficiency every day.
The Secretary of War states that efficiency
involves a choice between larger expenditures
and reduction of the auxiliary forces If Par
lament would give him an additional credit OF
from S1,50O,OOO to 100000 he would convert
the volunteers into an ideal reserve. but since
the money is withheld he is compelled TO reduce
the force and to improve its quality. On this
account he has taken measures to ascertain how
many men are unfit for active service abroad
and TO get rid OF them, and the money saved by
reductions in nominal strength will be expended
on the effective remnant. With an aggregate
volunteer force of 10000 men. 175.O00 are now
under every year for training. and
neither medical examinations camp regula-
tions are driving sound and capable men from
the service The Secretary maintains that the
voluntary army has been greatly improved by
reduction OF 10 per cent, and that the officers
are encouraged and cooperating heartily with
the department In the reorganization of the
force. Some OF the veterans of the force in
Parliament have retorted that he is gradually
improving the volunteers out OF existence so as
to bring in an army Of conscripts in their place,
or to make use Of them in filing gaps in the
ranks of regulars abroad Since Conservatives
and Liberals alike have Joined IN a fierce on
slaught on the War office criticism Of this sort
cannot be dismissed as partisan vaporing.
What cannot be denied is the unsettling effect
of ministerial action on the morale Of the vol
unteer force Neither officers nor men seem 10
know what is expected OF them and their pride
has been touched 10y disparaging references to
them IN Parliament and by official descriptions
OF their unhtness for defensive service at home
or abroad
What Mr. Arnold-Forster set out TO accom-
plish was the division Of the active military
forces into a long service army for work in
India and abroad and a short service army for
garrison duty at home While forming a per-
manent striking force of 10000 men at Alder
shot equipped for war at any moment. he ex-
pected 10 raise the standard of the militia, with
a view to ultimate amalgamation with the line.
and TO reorganize the militia in two bodies-one
Of 60 900 men, with higher grant and superior
efficiency. ana the other of 10000. with lower
grant. These measures have been partially
adopted and the results imperfectly known.
Recruiting for the long service army has been
fairly successful the equivalent of twenty-four
battalions being the record anticipated for a
single year: but the short service men have not
Yet come in. The army reserve has steadily in
creased until it promises TO aggregate 100000
men by the end Of the year Considerable prog
ress has been made with the rearmament of the
field artillery and the cavalry has been i'm
proved. All these benefits are claimed as the
results Of Mr. Arnold Forster's reforms yet il
is not denied that drafts for the army in India
go out slowly and that neither long nor short
service attracts recruits in sufficient numbers
for military requirements; nor that the auXiH-
airy forces are confused and disheartened by
new schemes Of classification. and do not form
so strong and solid a line of second defence as
the empire needs There are too many classes
Of soldiers serving under varying conditions,
and there is a loss Of prestige in every branch
of the service. No military critic is SO CreduOus
as TO play with the idea that England is pre-
pared on land for great European campaign.
Practical soldiers even have the candor TO admit
that army corps could not have been dis
patched to the Continent in an emergency of
Franco German diplomacy within two months
of the time taken for sending out General BuI-
lers first army to South Africa.
One of the best English traits is candor and
there is no lack of 1T in the discussion OF mill
tary policy Mistakes We're made in the prepa-
rations and equipment for the B0er war but
on the whole the system was serviceable. and
the reserves suficed for the employment Of over
25O.O00 men in the campaign. Neither German
French critics have found much to censure
in the work of the War Office. but with their
stark naked honesty the English people have
persisted In describing the campaign as a dis
graceful proof of incapacity and ineflciency