The debate in the Commons on the Militia and Yeomanry
Bill, adjourned on November 10th, was resumed on Tuesday. Aftera Motion to adjourn the House had been defeated, Mr. Brodrick proceeded to explain the scope of the BilL It proposed (1) to authorise a Militia Reserve by adding fifty thousand men who had completed their Line service or who had been ten years in the Militia,—these men were to be held in readiness for a national emergency at 4d. per day; (2) to bring up the number of Yeomanry to thirty-five thousand, of whom five thousand were to engage for service abroad in emergencies, receiving £5 a year extra pay. Mr. Brodrick contended that as the Yeomanry had been already increased from three thousand to twenty-seven thousand, it was not unreason- able that a proportion of the force should be available for foreign service. In view, however, of the strong opposition offered on both sides of the House, Mr. Brodrick subsequently declared his readiness to drop for the present the obnoxious subsection providing for the foreign service of Yeomanry, and on this understanding the Bill, on the bearings of which we comment in another column, was read a second time.
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