HOME DEFENCE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—One way in which the War Office has thrown over men, who would be useful now, has been their refusal to encourage a Reserve of Volunteers. As an instance I give you my own experience. Five years since, I retired after a service of twenty-five years, five of them as Lieutenant-Colonel in command, and then, having some leisure, I took up the sub- ject of keeping hold of retired members of my old regiment. My idea was to keep a regimental muster and company with books, have two or three drills, parade at regiment's annual inspection, and put through class firing, all in civilian dress. My successor in command was willing to give me use of hall and range free of charge, use of a sufficient number of rifles, on getting permission from War Office to do so. All I asked from the War Office was men's railway fare to range and cost of ammunition. On bringing the subject before, then Colonel now Brigadier - General, Sir Donald Mathieson, retired, and the late Colonel Merry, 3rd Rifle Volun- teers, they took it up and headed a deputation to the War Office on the question. We were thanked for our suggestion, but it could not be taken up, because its adoption meant providing for a force of possibly five hundred thousand men, for which they had not the money, arms, or accoutrements. Mr. Charles Morton was at that time Financial Secretary for Volunteer Department; he or his successor doubtless will have the papers on the subject. If you, Sir, agree with the idea, you can doubtless get influential men in London, also agreeing, to endeavour to get the War Office to change their minds. Now they can get the money, and if they have not got the arms and accoutrements they had better get them at once, I am certain there are many retired officers willing, like myself, to give time and money to try and get what your leading articles call for,—a force of men who bestow how to handle a rifle. With authority, we would get them in a short
time.—I am, Sir, &c., HARDEN R. MAXWELL, Col., Late Lieut.-Col. Com. 4th V.B. Scottish Rifles (Cameronians).
8 St. James's Terrace, Glasgow, N. W.
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