The sun., 1916-01-20
RECRUITING IN BRITAIN.
What Are the Facts Abest Volunteer.
lag and Conscviption?


"s s"s 'o"scT'p''o"
To THE EpiToR OF THE SuN-Sir. In
the discussion about preparedness
which is now going nn the word
"cons,rlpt;on" sometimes nuts in An
at,pearan,.. and notice that IL Is
generally ac,S,npanied by an aIiusion
to "the failure Of the voluntary sys-
tenn in Great Britain" II ia natural
IN oxamine the expertences Of the only
other great Power which has hitherto
rallied on the voluntary system. but
thew shouId he examined pretty cloeely.
The facts OF volunteering In Great
Britain have perhaps been Cbsc,,red by
the co,upiexity Of the various stages
and schemes Of recruiting and 10y the
par;y speeches OF politicians.
In the British Isles. as distinct from
other arts Of the British Empire. the
voluntary system has already yielded.
for PURPOSES of tho war. not less than
six million men. or more than one
eighth of the total population ~ the
country. This figure includes ~ the
personnel of the navy: ,2, the milf
tary forces already in existence at
the outbreak ui the war; 90 the new
Tor kltcheners, army. raised during
the first year Of the war: -, the men
enrolled under Lord Derbys schome
during the last two or three months
Of 1915. To take these items in order
% Tho personnel OF the navy with
its reserves, which were at once called
Nd. WIS about 100000 In the second
month of the war. TODAY IL has been
increased to at least $50. 900 by the
crews of the MANY trawlers and other
craft which have been taken over and
by the enlistment OF all sorts Of naval
volunteers for various purposes. ,2)
The military forces already I'm exist :
ence at tho outbreak Of the war con =
sisted princinslly of the regular army.
s-o oOo x,ronp ,vi,bou, counting is
special reserve of 90 900 men. who
have mostly been used in som.. w.y
or other by this time, and of the Ter
rt,ori.ls Th. Tsrr,,orisls numbered
$50 Ooo and Though ,h.v var. origt-
naily intended fn- home Jefeuc. a
large majority ~ th.m Immediately
yolun,serad for seryi,a abroad and
s,tns If ,he,r -eciuenfs we're IN. nrst
,r,-,us ou,sid. -. ,b. r.yuia- army.
,o no s.n. n ~. IRON, "A, TIVE new
army u.,,ch ua. i,lod -o tho OK
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49,
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