The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-14
SHAKE-UP LIKELY
IN BRITISH NAVY
Haldane Who Recognized the Home
Army. May Become First Lord
OF the Admiralty.

LONDON. Feb 1.-THE rumor that
Richard b. Haidaue is 10 leave the
war office FOR the admiralty has sent
q sh!te. ui excitement through the
clubs &. is the SORT OF feeling with
NhicI small boy hears the news that
he Is really 10 40 TO boarding school
next Week. He knows It's good
thing for him he is quite certain that
he'll like it when he gets used % H.
bar DE is not quite certain what DC
viii feel like al first
The navy. OF course since the DAYS
of Sir John Fisher as first sea lord
has heeu used TO being turned inside
ont bur ii cannot be- certain thar
under Nlr Haldane there may not bee
still fresh experiences I'm store for b.
The man who remodeled the entire
British military system with a success
that was an least greater than that OF
his two predecessors may DO a great
deal 10 the navy before he is satisfied
with IL. and the most comforting
thing about the rumor 20 the captains
and the adWirals VINO NAV undergo
the close scrutiny of a new omciai
superior is thai whatever changes he
may introduce will be dictated not
only with a desire 10 economy bat
also 20 an increase Of efficiency
Mr. HaldaneS five years &C the war
Office have been revolutionary He
practically abolished the militia the
oldest military force ia the country.
he transformed the volunteers into the
rerritorials. and he called into being
an entirely new organization known
As the special reserve. The success OF
his plans cannot yet be determined
as then have not been IA working or
. der for sufficient period 10 reach
their full development and probably
only the stress OF such another con
fict as the South African war would
show conclusively that they We're
built on secure foundations. But there
is no doubt that IN economy. Organi-
cation. and efficiency they are super.
Tor TO the haphazard system which
was in vogue when he took office
Euglands military problem has al
ways been unique She has had 10
maintain the bulk OF her forces in
india and the colonies and set keep
az home a force sufficient 10 feed the
ourlying garrisons N provide reason
able eNpeditionary army. and 20 aford
some guarantee against foreign in
vasion. She is determined 10 retain
10 the last possible moment the youn-
tary principle and yet 10 accomplish
a far more complicated task than her
continental neighbors and rivals.
Her regular army has on the whole
been Efficient for its purpose as far as
II went. hut IL was deficient In num-
brrs for all but the smallest war. II
might be possible 10 put out q a few
DAYS notice force Of respectable
strength and equipment. but the
means Of replacing the wastage OF
war were very deficient, and under
the old system there seemed no prac
tlcable means OF strengthening them.
on the continent OF Europe reliance
is placed for this and for actual home
defense on the enormous reserves.
into which tho citizens pass after serv-
ing their term with the colors. In
England there We're only three forces
distinct In origin and organization and
with no definite ORGANIZATION OF fuUc-
ton. The militia, the yeomanry and
the volunteers
The trouble about them was mat
they had grown up haphazard. accord
ing 20 chance rather than military nc
cessitv The number OF infantry bat
talinns was out OF al proportion 10
the other arms of the service such
CORDS as the Army Service Corps and
Ordnance Corps We're practically non.
existent. and very fine array OF
armed men might be brought together
quictl" In some part OF ENGLAND which
no invader would ever ATTACK. Whit"
The really strategic centera We're not
sure OF adequate defense
one secretary o. war after another
had uied in vain 20 weld This nycrtr-
brate collection OF military 1raaUiz0-
tlous into q real husiuessiihp army
without destroying the individuality OF
rs parts They AN failed and i- was
Str H3'dau" Who alone had The cour.
age 20 cut the Gordon knot bv drClar-
ing THAI he would nj the units to tho
necessities OF tho organization ana
not the organization 90 the preWdicps
OF fhe units which happened 20 exist
The militia which seuumcut8Isfs
loved 90 cali the constitutional force
OF England. because if was the direct
descendant OF the train bands at Lon.