A year since these would have been thought very great
re- forms, and Mr. Cardwell is not unmindful of immediate exi- gencies. By adding 11 millions to the Estimates he is able to increase the Artillery from 180 guns to 336, and to keep 108,000 Regulars in the United Kingdom ; to raise the Militia to 139,000 men, who will during their first year undergo a much longer drill than heretofore ; and thus, with his 39,000 men of the First and Second Reserves, 14,000 Yeomanry, and 30,000 Pensioners, to collect within the Kingdom an armed and trained force of 300,000 men, exclusive of 170,000 Volunteers. This is an ample supply of men, if only they are efficient ; but Mr. Cardwell takes power to compel enlistment in time of great emergency, and will, we imagine, also be authorized to grant some increase of pay. The point upon which further information is required is the method to be pursued to secure efficiency, the principal innova- tion in that direction being that Militia recruits will be drilled in the first instance with the Regulars. The length of time, how- ever, is not clearly specified, and should certainly not be less than three months, and we still look for information as to the number of trained officers who will be present with each Militia regiment.
