LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

FOR THE FIELD.

[TO VIE EDITOR OF THE "SPBOTATOlt,"]

Si,—In your issues of April 8th and April 15th you have given a well-deserved publicity to the statistics compiled by "Volunteer Field Officer" showing how well the Volunteer Force came forward with offers for foreign service during the Boer War, and completely confuting the allegations made by Mr. Arnold-Forster. But Mr. Arnold-Forster would have the public believe that the Volunteer Force is not only incapable of offering large numbers of men for foreign service, but is incapable of finding men of the required physique, and that even of those who came forward, thirty, forty, or fifty per cent. were unfit for a campaign. These figures, he main- tained, were based on the evidence of witnesses before the

Royal Commission on Militia and Volunteers, of which be quoted a few selected fragments without the context. I append a detailed statement showing (1) Mr. Arnold-Forster's

allegations, (2) the full evidence of his witnesses ; (3) tables showing the comparative excellence (P) of the Regular Army in percentage of salted, seasoned men (Tables A, B, and C) ; (4) table showing number of Volunteers taken for South Africa in the C.I.V. and service companies (Table D). That Mr. Arnold-Forster's statements have been allowed to go unchallenged is a matter of surprise. Perhaps the Spectator, which has always upheld the Auxiliary Forces, will help to expose this amazing travesty of evidence.—I am, Sir, &c., R. J. C.

PERCENTAGE OF MEN IN VOLUNTEER FORCE UNFIT, PROM PHYSICAL DEFICIENCY OR MILITARY INEFFICIENCY, TO TAKE THE FIELD.

Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER : "Of the 20,000 Volunteers who selected themselves and came forward for service in South Africa, 33 per cent, were set aside as inefficient and incapable of serving." And Mr. Arnold-Forster proceeded to quote Major- General MacKinnon in proof of this statement (see Times report, Tuesday, April 4th). " I should require to weed out from 30 to 90 per cent men who would not stand three months' continuous training" (on hard service conditions). (See Minutes of Evidence, 14,511.) And : "That [estimate of 30 to 40 per cent.] is only out of my own head; it is not in any way official or on figures." (14,536.) "It is my own idea from what took place when our own regiment [i.e., C.I.V ] was organised in London, and I am only talking now of the Metropolitan Volunteers for the home district. What I mean is that 40 per cent, of the number of Volunteers now on paper would not be fit for a campaign." (14,537.) And asked by the Chairman : "Do you mean that of the men of the various battalions who came before you as being material to compose the C.I.V. 40 per cent. were not physically fit F" Major- General MacKinnon replied : "I mean that of the number of Volunteers who were serving in the home district in 1899 I do not think that more than 60 per cent. were fit for service abroad." (14,540.) And: "In the percentage mentioned I would include the whole enrolled strength, younger recruits and all." (14,566.)

Mr. Aallorm-FoasTER, after quoting other authorities to the effect that about 30 per cent., of the whole strength of the Volunteers would have to be weeded out on mobilisation, pro- ceeded to say : "A multitude of witnesses have stated that when the forces are tested for the purposes of war you have to

eliminate 30, 40, or 50 per cent., not of the whole force, but of those who actually come forward and offer themselves." (Times report as above.)

Detail of this "multitude of witnesses."

Colonel F. Heworan, 3rd V.B. Lane. Fus.: "About 25 per cent. of my men might have been rejected if whole battalion had gone to South Africa." (12,057.)

Lieut.-Colonel A. GILBEY, Commanding 1st Bucks R.V.C. : "We sent 132 out of 700 to South Africa,—the doctor picking the best out of 200 Volunteers: he rejected 'a good many.

There were many with varicose veins and small things that they were rejected for Since then we have a strict medical examination of our recruits." (12,214-12,219.)

Captain JENNER, K.R.R., Adjt. 3rd London R.V.C.: "We have a good many young soldiers in the ranks, but they are much better than a Regular battalion in that way." (16,526.) (See Tables A, B, and C.) Major-General Sir A. Tunsza : "I have seen no corps in which

40 per cent. would be weeded out For home defence very few would need to be weeded It was different for South Africa,—then the standard was raised very considerably." (21,857 seqq.)

Colonel H. B. ReerroN, Commanding Gloucester and Somerset Vol. Inf. Brigade : "For home purposes they could all stand any strain that was put upon them,—after certainly three weeks' mobilisation." (13,480 seqq., 13,485.)

Colonel LORD CLIFFORD, Commanding Devon Vol. Inf. Brigade: "Most of them, even if not quite medically sound, would be men who would be quite useful—and could be put into the field—at

any rate for a short campaign Perhaps 2 or 3 per cent. are weakly. Many might break down in a long campaign." (14,841 seqq.)

Colonel F. W. TANNErr WALKER, Commanding 3rd V.B. West Yorks : "We have a good strict medical examination, quite as strict as the Army. Very few of our fellows were refused for the war. They are examined in every detail." (7,718.) Colonel E. H. BAILEY, 2nd V.B. East Surrey Regiment: "We make the medical examination very thorough."

Colonel H. RICARDO, Commanding Grenadier Guards and 4th London Volunteer Brigade : "I don't think much of the physique of the Volunteers myself I have never worked it [per- centage of Volunteers unfit from physique and training, Scc.] out, but would put it down at about half." (12,963.)

Colonel F. V. Howes, 1st V.B. Liverpool Regiment: "Standard 5 ft. 6 in. ; every man tried in every way by medical officer."

Colonel C. P. RIDLEY, Commanding Manchester Regimental District: "In the Volunteers their existence depends on the capitation grant, and if the medical inspection were too rigorously carried out, many of these corps would cease to exist." (13,599.) This is parodied by Mr. Arnold-Forster: "If a proper medical inspection had been applied, whole battalions Would have been wiped out." Colonel RIDLEY, continuing his evidence: "With regard to the Brigade at Salisbury Plain this year, the physique was excellent ; you would find few Line battalions equal to 1st Vol. Battalion in appearance and physique." (13,600.) "If you take a battalion like any of mine, they are a very different-looking lot from any Line battalions you will see in England. They are men and not boys." (13,650.) "I had also under me a Vol. Battalion Gordon Highlanders, who in physique were all that could possibly be desired." (13,633.) "I believe that the consensus of opinion among Volunteer officers is that 40 per cent. of whole force might be rejected from various causes."

Brigade-Surgeon Lieut.-Colonel A. CLARK, 3rd London VoL Inf. Brigade : "Percentage of men not physically strong enough for work they have to do is very small." (13,849.) "Forty per cent. might crack up if sent straight out to battle or foreign service; or straight on arduous march from their offices." (18,853, 13,864, 13,867.)

Colonel MATTHIAS, 75th Regimental District: "Physique extremely good—in country corps all grown men, magnificent men—in town corps rather young. Country corps undoubtedly fit to take the field. City corps perhaps 200 would be weeded out [out of 40003—that is, because they are young." (19,608 seqq.) This Mr. Arnold-Forster quotes as "We have had it put to us that in a good many cases due to youth and also want of physical fitness a large number of Volunteers would have to be weeded out if you wanted them to take the field." Answer: "Undoubtedly in town corps." (19,613.) TABLE A. REGULARS. General Annual Report, Part 7, Table 3, p. 90. Regular Army at home, in the Colonies and India, October 1st, 1904. Number of men under twenty years of age, 40,953—out

of total strength, 267,601—viz.: under 18, 5,34.3; between 18 and 19, 13,316; between 19 and 20, 22,394. (Very few in India.) TABLE B. REGULA.RS.

General Annual Report, British Army, Part 8, Table 3, p. 56.

Wastage in recruits. Recruits joined (twelve months ending September 30th, 1904), 41,008 :-

Died i 14 Discharged as inefficient ......... 968

Deserted 511 Other causes 906 Claimed discharge 766 Fraudulent enlistment .... 170 3,368 Invalids discharged 33 (s.81 X) Within three months from date of enlistment.

TABLE C.

Appendix 8. Volume of Appendices. South African War Commission.

(Composition of Units which embarked for South Africa from Home and Mediterranean after Mobilisation of 1899.) Men with Colours. Reserves.

Infantry. Embarked. Not fulfilling Unfit. Embarked. Unfit. conditions as to Age dt Service.

• 8rd Grenadier Guards 1st Coldstream Gds.

2nd Coldstream Gds 1st Scots Guards 2nd Royal Pushers 2nd Royal Scots Pus

1st Royal Welsh Fes

2nd Royal Irish Pus

685 ...

737 ...

469 ...

640 ...

449 ...

404 ...

566 ... 552 ...

329 (33 p.c.) 189 (20 „ 426 (48 „ ...

204 (24 „ 227 (33 „ ...

274 (40 „

145 (25 „ ) ... 297 (35 „ )

31

24

27 (3 p.c.) 82 (10 „ ) 9 15

19 21

399 ...

346 )

620f

448 ...

462 ...

532 ... 392 ...

49 "

6 7 11 5

Went with Went with Vol Service other Company. Corps

7,408 4,624.

12,032 CONCLUSIONS.

(1) Statistics as to the 20,000 who offered themselves are un- intelligible and meaningless. (See Table D.) (2) Statement that 30 per cent. of those who offered had to be rejected is a pure perversion of the evidence which Mr. Arnold- Forster himself quotes. (See evidence passim.)

(3) Mr. Arnold-Forster seizes on a rough guess of Major- General MacKinnon's, takes it as a careful estimate, and then gives it a contorted meaning. (4) The "multitude of witnesses" mentioned by Mr. Arnold- Forster is non-existent, and his final statement is a gross, if not a deliberate, perversion of the facts.

(5) The deduction for age, unfitness, and inefficiency in the Regular Army when mobilised for service abroad is fully 33 per cent. (See Table C.)

(6) The age generally of Volunteers is as good as, or better than, that of Regulars. (See answer of Mr. Arnold-Forster's own witnesses, Captain Jenner, K.R.R. ; see also Table A).

(7) The evidence of Major-General Sir A. Turner, late I.G. Auxil. Forces, is absolutely ignored, while a rough shot of an officer, such as Colonel Ricardo, who has no near knowledge of Volunteers, is taken as evidence.

(8) No allowance is made for physical training after mobilisa- tion or for effect of a week or so spent in getting men fit. (See, inter alios, Colonel H. B. Patton.) Showing that in these two brigades about 30 per cent. of men on peace strength had to be left behind as inefficient for immediate service, and had to be retained for further training. This average holds good of all the infantry brigades.

TABLE D.

VOLUNTEERS IN SOUTH ANRICA.

CIS 1,520 ... 8,096 ... Volunteer Companies (+Artillery

235, Royal Engineers 434)

+ draft 147 ... + 1,024 ... 1st draft.

b,975

... ... 2nd draft. + 2,446 3rd draft.

1,667 + 17,541 19,208

Where does Mr. Arnold-Forster get his figure "20,000 who selected themselves" ? If he means from first lot only-9,616— it is obvious that if 20,000 presented themselves and only 9,616 were required, 50 per cent, would be turned back; this supposition is therefore not the basis of Mr. Arnold-Forster's 33 per cent. If he means altogether (19,208), it is mathematically impossible for 33 per cent. to have been rejected.

Figures published by "Volunteer Field Officer" in the Spectator of April 8th, 1905,-130 corps out of 383 showed following statistics :- Strength Volunteered

on for South Nov. 1st, 1899. Africa.

84,602 30,703