25 NOVEMBER 1911, Page 3

On Monday in the House of Lords Lord Haldane made

a statement on the Territorial Force. He was informed by the General Staff that the force was sufficient to provide for coast defence and for defence against raids, as well as to maintain a central army capable of reinforcing the local troops and of dealing with an invading army 70,000 strong. But it was now considered by the Admiralty that no invading force of anything like the strength of 70,000 could be landed. After an expeditionary force had been sent abroad there would still be 400,000 troops at home. Lord Midleton said that the fact remained that the Government had asked for 315,000 men for the Territorials and had got only 260,000.