Milford chronicle., 1905-07-14
BRITISH ARMY
; IS INADEQUATE
Lord Roberts Says It is Unable to
Uphold English Prestige.
ARE IMPERFECTLY TRAINED

London, July IL. - Field Marshal
Lord Roberts created a sensation in
ehe house Of lords when. in a lengthy
ana wel-considered speech. he delib-
erately expressed the opinion as a
practical soldier that the military force
OF Great Britain was Inadequate. i'm
perfectly trained, and totally unfit to
uphold Great Britain as a irst-class
power. Lord Roberts did not blame |
Lhe government, which, he said. was
Aetuated by national feeling, but he
scathingly attacked the peole of Eng
Iand who, he said showed no national
feeling towards the military until dan
ger arose. Then, said Lord Roberts.
tne soldier was the pet of the people.
out this was only an evanescent enthu-
siasm' which did not entail self sacri-
nee, and passed away as soon as the
danger disappeared g
The speech was delivered in con- S
nection with a motion introduced bv {
the Earl OF Wemyss and March (Cop- Il
serVatiYe), trayersing Premier Bal.
iours statement regarding the impossi-
unity OF the invasion OF Great Britain.
ana urging the necessity of keeping I'D n
suficient land forces to repeI any nos. 2
sible invasion. ca
Lort Roberts said the lessons of the al
South African war had been forgotten of
ne mad no hesitation in saying that li'
the armed forces Of Great Britain as a pr
Dody were now as absolutely united
ana unprepared for war as they we're
when the South African trouble broke E
out' He declared emphatically that
ne choice lay between conscription or &c
some practical system of universal
raining, and that only by such means
would 1t be possible for Great Britain we
possess armed forces organized and we
Ialned to meet the demands of the spo spo
mpire in the event of war. the
Lord Roberts, continuing asserted mel
hat any discussion of Great Britain,s acc
illltary position within the limits of gus
le motion proposed by the Earl OF eH eIe
'emyss and March would be entirely MA!
laVailing. The country had to deal ca !.
lth question of infinitely great i'm. II
rtance-the question of the life or ndiil
ath OF the empire, the issue of which vi 1Iet
pended upon Great Britain being nol
ady to defend her eastern posses. ONuii
ms, and at the same time take mart one
any affair nearer home. either of IN
lch necessitated the placing in the skuli
"a OF an army as large and efficient u =.
tnat OF any of the European coun. D%ruis %
rs all of which might be regarded All
nations IN arms. Every other Euro ooIeI
n country regarded its army as oody
OF the nation, While England con. De 10
sred her army to be something quite Iact
side the national life. and no ana
lght was bestowed upon it bv the on
population except as part of wiser
ucal and partisan platform. comps
e appealed to the country to awake TO tne
IS danger, and to take hold of the sonall
J as great national issue on Ior WI
n the existence of Great Britain !he
nded. He said the whole empire miles
rise to the occasion, and that ev. uows
one must personally bear a share uhe rl'
ne defense, or enable those to pounds
n responsibility was delegated to Ioaued
me in all respects efficient was no
e government decided not To on.
the motion of the Earl of Wemvss <
Harch which was passed without Robert
ision.