Page:A thousand years hence. Being personal experiences (IA thousandyearshen00gree).djvu/137

 The transchannel wires were in unwonted activity that morning. Some appreciable cordiality of re-approach from the other side met a prompt reciprocation from ours, and that again was succeeded by still more pronounced expressions. Ere the business day was over, the reconstituted English ministry found itself in entire accord and amity with its so lately expected enemies, to the boundless satisfaction of the many millions on either side of the question.

But the experience of this great national crisis was not to be lost upon us. We at once saw and decided that it must not occur a second time, and our precautions were as prompt as they were effectual. In passing all our youth, indiscriminately from prince to peasant, through a certain military drill, in order to qualify all, should the necessity arise, for the defence of their common country, there was never occasion to interfere with life's ordinary or business vocations. There was no necessity, even for a single day, for barrack life, with its deterioriating influence upon our youth. The drill, begun as part of the schoolboy's training, was continued as part also of his after youthful recreation, and it had a further advantage in imparting an erect and manly bearing to our entire population.

With this huge available force over the whole country, the existence of a professional army became less and less necessary, so that it was gradually reduced, and finally given up. Our neighbours on the Continent approved, and soon began, in this matter, to follow our English example. France admitted that had she been thus defensively prepared, the successful German invasion would have been