Evening star., 1951-01-14

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There are now approximately
845. 900 men in uniform in Brit
aims armed forces. OF these,
roughly 1851 are serving in the
army, $4,000 in the navy and
225,000 il the air force.
British ground troops to the
number of over 100000 men
are serving either as garrisons or
on active duty in 10 countries of
the world outside Britain" accord
ing to an official British report.
Spending Program
There are now over $4,000 men
of all services in the Korean bat
tie theater. OF these. 10000 men
are serving in the Royal Nays
Far Eastern feet, which was COM
mitted to the United Nations forces
at the very beginning of hostili-
ties. The ships of this feet in
Korean waters at present consist
of one light carrier, two cruisers.
six destroyers and four frigates."
The original British budget for
the current fiscal year provided
for an outlay of $2,184, ,000. 900 for
defense. This amounted to 23.6
per cent of all government expen-
ditures, 7.6 per cent Of the ma
tional income and $42 per head of
the population. A subsequent plan.
announced in August, raised
this amount to an annual rate
of expenditure of more than
So, ,080, 900, 900 for the next three
years, or approximately 10 per
cent of the national income.
Britain has universal military
training. All young men must
serve when they reach the age #
18 years and 4 months. The pc
riod of full time service has re-
Gently been increased from 18
months to 2 years. After this
training, the men serve part-time
for to years in the auxiliary
forces.
France.
The French armed forces total
approximately 100000, of which
$50. 900 are serving in Indo- China.
The paramilitary gendarmerie,
Republican Guard and "Organi-
zation Territoriale" number an
additional 100000 men.
Military expenditures now budg-
eted for the current fiscal year
total 81 billion for metropoli-
tan France. or 81 per cent Of total
government outlays, plus $3.50
million for the operation in Indo-
China.
The period of compulsory mill
tary service was extended last
October from l year to 18 months.
All men must serve. beginning
when they are 20.
Operations in Indo-C China have
cost the French 10000 casualties
thus far. France has lost as many
officers in this fighting as have
been graduated during the same
period from st. Cyr, the French
West Point.
Smaller Countries
A battalion of French troops,
numbering 1000 men, are fight
ing with the u. N. forces in
Korea.
There are three French divi-
sions on occupation duty in Ger
may. and Paris plans to send two
more to the Reich this year. An
additional five divisions will be
trained in France during 1851, and
the French hope to have a total
of 20 divisions by 1858.
Belgium.
The Belgian armed forces total
we'll over 10000 men and are be-
ing increased to approximately
150. 900.
The period of compulsory mill
tary service has just been length-
ened from one year to two.
Belgium's "pre-Korean" mill
tary expenditures for 1851 were
budgeted at $187 million, or 2.9
per cent of the gross national
product. This has now been in
creased to $3.50 million. or 3.8 per
cent of the gross national product.
Further increases are planned.
Holland.
The Dutch are engaged in con-
verting their national military
establishment from a largely CO.
lonial to a largely European foot
ing, following the granting of in
dependence to Indonesia - al
though Holland still is militarily
responsible for New Guinea, the
Dutch West Indies and Surinam.
There are approximately $4,000
men in the armed forces now.
The Dutch plan to increase this
to $4,000 by the end of the year
The army hopes to be able to
put three infantry divisions in
the field by 1852, and to increase
the air force, which now consists
of six fighter squadrons, to 81
squadrons by 1855.
There has been universal mill
tary training Of two years dura-
ton since 1916.
Italy's Proposal
The current budget provides for
military expenditures of $265 mil
lion, or per cent of the
gross national product. The cab
met plans to propose additional
arms expenditures in the near
future.
Denmark.
A Danish regimental combat
team is serving with the British
occupation forces in Germany. No
further data on the number Of
men in Denmark's armed forces
are available here.
The Danes have universal mill
tary training, and since the war
have trained 100000 men for their
army On 0ff for the navv apd