The annual return of the British Army, issued on Thurs-
day, contains some very interesting and satisfactory figures. On June 1st last there were 222,151 men and officers in the Regular army,—that number being the highest reached during the twenty years for which statistics are available. The number of courfs-martial held during the year at home
and abroad was 9,802, being the lowest number held for twenty years past, and 1;430 below the figures for 1893. The proportion per 1,000 men is the smallest on record,-47, as against 91 in 1881. The number of men fined for drunken- ness was 27,715, being the same proportion as in 1893, which was low. These last figures are very promising, and bear out the opinion of all officers of experience, that crime and drunkenness are ceasing to be in any sort of way charac- teristic of the British private. The Army Reserve numbered 82 674, being slightly in excess of the previous year ; the Militia (enrolled), 121.667; Yeomanry, 10,014; and Volun- teers, 231,328 enrolled, or 224.525 efficient, the latter figure being 5,414 above that of 1893, and the highest yet reached. In the event then of a great national emergency, we could raise the Regulars to 300,000 men, and have besides over 300,000 Militia and Volunteers.
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