We are very glad to notice that Colonel Seely spoke
warmly of the "wonderful national creation of the people themselves—the National Reserve." A Reserve of over 170,000 trained and experienced men is indeed an invaluable reservoir for the War Office to dip into if the need for their services arises. Formerly the names and addresses of these men were entirely lost to the military authorities. The tribute which Colonel Seely paid to Sir Evelyn Wood in connexion with the National Reserve was thoroughly just and graceful. But his memory oddly failed him when he said that the National Reserve had come into being during the past year. It has been officially recognized for three years, and two years ago there were some 3,000 men already enrolled in Surrey alone. What be should have said was that our public men have only woke up to the existence of the National Reserve during the past year.
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