OLD SOLDIERS AND THE EMPIRE. LTO THE EDITOR OM THE
"SrEci1roa."3 SIB,—May I commend to the notice of your readers the appeal signed by Lord Grey, the Duke of Bedford, and Major-General Sir Ronald Lane on behalf of the funds of the Naval and Military Emigration League P I do so as a member of the Exedutive Committee and at the instance of the hard-working secretary, who is anxious that no time should be lost, otherwise a name carrying more weight than mine would have been attached to this letter. The urgency of the matter consists in the fact that the League has now the opportunity of placing 300 old sailors or soldiers in Australia and 150 in Canada, but for lack of funds is hampered in its desire to take advantage of the opportunity. The men are available and are anxious to go; but what is needed is a fund out of which their passage money can be advanced. The League is appealing for £10,000 in order to meet this need. It has a strong organ- ization in the Dominions which undertakes the collection of repayments, and experience has shown that very few old soldiers make default. The fund, if it is raised, will be in the nature of circulating capital, and it is not anticipated that further appeals will be necessary. The League deals only with men who are discharged from either service with " very good" or " exemplary " certificates. It only sends men out to assured jobs. It looks' after them in their new homes. Last year it sent out about 450 men, and its total expenditure was under 21,000 'for advances and office expenses, so it will be seen that most of the money goes direct to the benefit of the old Service man. It is pitiful to see the number of clean, self-respecting men who are down "on their uppers" and apply to the League for assistance. Their failure is due to no fault of their own, but simply to the fact that they have served their country and that those who have not have got a start in life. The country owes a debt to these men which we ask it to pay. There is a certain prejudice against "emigra- tion." Personally I dislike the term as applied to those who go from one part of the Empire to another. But I ask the question : Is it best that these men should be left under con- ditions where they deteriorate physically and morally, or that they should go to the distant shires of the Empire where their manhood is preserved, and where they will stiffen the local forces with a leaven of disciplined men, and will spread that true veneration for the Flag which every good soldier has is
the bones of him P Subscriptions should be sent to Mr. E. T. Scammell, Parliament Chambers, Great Smith Street, West- [We sincerely trust that the money needed for this excellent work will be obtained. We heartily agree with Mr. Fiennes that there can be no question of "loss" when a British citizen moves from one part of the Empire to another.—Ed. Spectator.]
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