[TO Ills EDITOR OP FHB "SPEOTATOR.1
you permit me very heartily to thank " An ex-Volunteer Officer" for his letter in the Spectator of March 18th ? He suggests that the system of nucleus crews should be introduced into our Indian transport ships, the troops who are being carried to and fro supplying the rest of the crew, and being induced so to do by the promise of six months' furlough every three or four years. To the layman the suggestion appears a valuable one, which, it is to be hoped, will be brought before the naval and military authorities for consideration as to its practicability; but
what I want to emphasise here is its desirability from "ti naval point of view. I have been reluctantly driven to the conclusion, in whiCh I know that you, Sir, do not agree, that this Empire cannot be secure without undergoing thoie pains of conscription which other Empires are content to bear. Conscription would settle the military difficulty in regard to men. Either conscription, or perhaps a greatly extended system of short service, would settle that question which on the outbreak of war becomes the most momentous question for the British Empire : Where are we to get our Naval Reserves P About this time last year, lecturing on the Naval Reserves at the Royal United Service Institu- tion, I urged a greatly extended system of short service. Amongst stop-gap measures I mentioned the training of soldiers as seamen and gunners,—a suggestion advocated, if my memory serves me right, by Sir Edward Grey's Com- mittee, but not altogether approved by my distinguished chairman, Admiral the Hon. Sir E. R. Fremantle. " An ex-Volunteer Officer's" proposal would get over part at least of the difficulties in the way of any such proposal, and would produce part at least of the advantages proposed. In the event of war this Empire must first proie herself mistress of the seas before she can use her soldiers as such. It would be of singular advantage to her to be able to add to her NaVal Reserves a body of trained and disciplined men, knowing a good deal about ships and guns and stoking, able probably very soon to take subordinate positions at the guns and to assist the stokers, and, so far as one can see, not likely at.any time to be far distant from the positions where they would eventually be required as sohliers.—I am, Sir, &c.,
CHARLES S. JERILATi.
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