On Wednesday Mr. Brodrick made to two deputations of Volunteer
officers a very important statement in regard to the Report of the Committee which has been considering the new Volunteer Regulations. We have always felt convinced that the Secretary of State and the aommander-in-Chief, whose belief in and care for the interests of the Auxiliary Forces is beyond question, would modify the Regulations if they found on inquiry that they were likely to injure the Volunteer Force, and that no petty feelin g of armour propre would weigh with either of them for a sin lie moment. This is exactly what has happened. They have bi en convinced that the Regulations require modification, and have accordingly agreed to these modifications. We cannot go into the modi- fications in detail, but may note what Mr. Br adrick is reported to have said as to camp attendance. Bit ;ides the scheme for provisional camps for details, there was a. recommendation of the Committee that commanding office .es should have liberty to exempt from attendance at camp Volunteers of at least two years' service, to the number of 10 pi or cent, of their strength, drawing for them a reduced capitatic ar grant of 25s. These provisions should, he thought, largely r educe the diffi- culties as to camp attendance. The proposal to give a reduced grant for men who cannot manage to get to camp instead of losing them altogether is, we believe, wand, but we wish expert marksmanship could have been maeo an alterna- tive to camp attendance without reduction of the capitation grant.
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