Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/52

 44] ENGLISH HISTOEY [mabch

and whenever the two battalions, now forming a regiment, were once two regiments, they were ready to save and preserve every symbol of their glorious past. If all the battalions of any one regiment should unite in asking for facings once worn, the Secretary of State would be willing to consider each application on its merits. Having given the numbers of our non-European colonial troops, he stated the strength of the first-class Army Keserve as 78,798, and explained that it stood lower than would otherwise be the case in consequence of retransfers to the Colours. The Eeserve, it was confidently expected, would rise again to 83,000 during the year. The D. Eeservists, who received a shilling a day with the obligation to be called out when war- like operations were in preparation, numbered up to February 1, 1,750, and there was little doubt that the contemplated limit of 5,000 would be reached. For the Militia the War Office asked in this year's estimates an additional 41,2001., among the objects in view being the additional training of non-com- missioned officers and the maintenance of regimental bands. The Volunteer establishment was 263,963, an increase of 870. A change would be made in the travelling allowances for musketry, so as to enable corps over twelve miles from a range to reach it at less cost than heretofore. Sums were to be pro- vided for regimental transport, for outfits to officers, and for allowances to officers attending schools of instruction. With regard to the general question of transport, he said that for three army corps we needed an army service corps of 12,000 men. At present there were at home only 3,302 men, and they were asking for 40 officers and 1,000 men at a cost of 34,000/. He then turned to the subject of recruiting, and stated that in 1898 the cavalry recruits were 3,778. The total number of British recruits in the year was 38,418, as against 27,809 in 1896. The bulk of the recruits came from the plough. Having shown that the comforts of soldiers serving with the Colours were being attended to, he pointed out that the Government asked for an instalment of money to be spent in arming the more im- portant of our military and mercantile ports with modern guns. The discussion which ensued was more than usually pro- tracted and discursive, and it was not until three evemngs had been spent and the closure applied that the vote for 184,858/. was agreed to (March 3). Sir C. Dilke wished to see the number of trained horses for the artillery increased. Mr. Arnold-Forster (Belfast, W.\ wanted the War Office to be overhauled, and Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, whilst glad that so many men had rejoined the Colours, deprecated the changes that had been made in view of the altered prospects of the men. He ascribed the increase of the vote to the expansive policy of the Government, but Mr. Balfour retorted that the expenditure was to be sought in the responsibilities of the empire, and that the military policy of any Government must largely depend upon the policy of other nations, and subsequently added that the