Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/48

 40] ENGLI8H HI8TOEY. [mabch

59 votes, but out of ten Cabinet ministers having seats in the House only one, Mr. Eitchie, voted for the bill. The others abstained presumably because they held it more important to conciliate the Lancashire members than to support a measure of humanity and practical foresight.

The wording of the paragraph in the Queen's Speech referring to the estimates, as well as the rumours which had been in circulation, had prepared the public mind for increased expenditure on both the Army and Navy. It was, moreover, understood that this year the land forces, or second line of defence, would be the chief object of the attention of the Government. The memorandum prepared by the Secretary of War, Lord Lansdowne, began by showing how the proposed increase to the Army, which had been begun in 1897-8, had been carried out. In that year the total regimental establishments (of aU ranks, exclusive of India) was 147,398, and the Govern- ment then proposed to itself to increase this force by 25,083 of all ranks by March 31, 1901. The number reached in 1898-9 was 160,139, and it was now proposed to raise 167,632 for the year 1899-1900. The actual strength of the Army on January 1, 1897, was 145,737 ; on the same day, 1898, 148,677 ; and on January 1, 1899, 158,318. This large increase, however, had to be taken with some caution, the inflow from the Eeserve to the Colours in 1898 having been much greater than usual. At the same time 40,729 recruits of all branches had been obtained in 1898, against 35,015 in 1897, and 28,532 in 1896, while the Reserve on January 1, 1899, stood at 78,798 men; At the same time 1,750 men of the Army Eeserve had accepted 1*. a day special Eeserve pay with a liability to recall to the Colours in minor emergencies, and it was expected that 5,000 men would within a short time be similarly engaged.

The chief increases to be made during the year were thus apportioned : (1) Cavalry — sixty men and twenty horses to each regiment at home on the lower establishment, and considerable additions to the cavalry dep6t ; (2) Field Artillery — five of the new fifteen batteries to be horsed and manned before the close of the financial year 1898-9, and five more in the course of the current year; (3) Foot Guards — the new battalion of the Coldstream Guards had been formed, and two companies added to each of the two battalions of the Scots Guards to form the nucleus of a third battalion; (4) Infantry — six new line battalions raised and on service in the Mediterranean, each home battalion strengthened by the addition of fifty-eight men to be increased during the year to eighty ; (5) the Aimy Service Corps, and the Eoyal Army Medical Corps to be considerably augmented during the year; and (6) native battalions to be raised in West Africa, British Central Africa and China to be employed on garrison duty.

In connection with a general revision of the schemes of defence a thorough examination was made during the year of