THE TOAST OF TH_E ARMY.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " BPECTATOE."1 the Spectator kindly inform me what it would consider the most appropriate toast of the Army as at present constituted? In the days of the Volunteers the official toast on all public occasions was "The Army and the Auxiliary Forces." Since the Territorials came into existence the official toast has been "The military forces of the Crown.' Now does this adequately express the toast at the present time ? Does not "The military forces of the Crown" sound a little tame? Surely under Mr. Haldane's scheme the Territorial Army, the Ovemea Army, and the Army were all to be one,—the Army of the Empire. The toast of "The military forces of the Crown" may very well include the Marines, which have always been considered part and parcel of the Navy. Would it not be much more to the point, less ambiguous, and more dignified if the toast were "The Army," in the same way as the sister-Service is toasted on public occasions as "The Navy "P This may seem a small matter to the Spectator, but "The military forces of the Crown" gets on my nerves, and hence this letter asking for an unbiassed opinion.—I am, Sir, Ste., A. H. SMITH-DORRIBN (Rear-Admiral).
[We agree that "The military forces of the Crown" is ugly, and that "The Army," while quite as inclusive, would sound infinitely better. We are afraid, however, that many people would imagine that the Territorials were being left out, so ingrained is the habit of considering the Army to mean the Regulars only.—ED. Spectator.]
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