NATIONAL RESERVE.

rTo THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR.")

Sin,—The National Reserve of the City of Edinburgh now numbers 5,568 officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, who are classified as follows :— N.C.O.'s

Officers. & Men. Total.

CLASS I.—Officers under 55 years of age and other ranks under 45 years of ago who are con- sidered to be rihysically fit to join a combatant unit for ser- vice in the field CLASS IL—Officers between the ages of 55 and 60 and other ranks between 45 and 55 who are considered to be physi- cally fit either for combatant duty in garrisons or other fixed positions or for adminis- trative work ...

Mess III.—Officers and other ranks not qualified to be in- cluded in (1.) and (IL) who have become honorary mem- bers of the Reserve and will be retained there for social and influential purposes ...

Total of all classes 87

2,962

...

3,049 86

1,278

•••

1,313 77

1,129

1,206 190

•••

6,809

,..

5,568

The Force includes both ex-Regulars and ex-Volunteers as follows :- Ex-Regulars :

Officers ... 81 Non-Commissioned Officers 802 Men 2,926 3,809 Er-Volunteers : Officers ... 118 Non-Commissioned Officers 602

Men 009 toe 1,039

1,759 Total ... 6,568 These figures place the City of Edinburgh at the head of the list of all the counties and cities in the United Kingdom per thousand of male population. As a matter of fact Edinburgh really has more than double the number per thousand of male population than Oxfordshire, which is next to it.—I am, Sir,

&c., CHILTON L. ADDISON SMITH, Major.

Officer in Charge of the National Reserve, T.F.A. City of Edinburgh.

[The Edinburgh record is certainly magnificent. Will not Glasgow try to beat itP—En. Spectator.]