A PROPOSED ARMY AND NAVY ASSOCIATION. [To THE EDITOR OF

TILE "Srscrama."] SIR.,—Having for more than a quarter of a century studied the difficult question of maintaining complete the establish- ment of her Majesty's forces (without the application of the ballot), and the educational and personal requirements of the working classes (from whom our men are recruited). it may be useful at the present time (when all county and borough authorities are considering the resolutions passed at a meeting of the Middlesex County Council held on December 21st last), through the medium of your valuable newspaper. to publish a scheme which I submitted to the Secretary of State for War early in the year 189 My scheme is that a National Association be formed with the following objects, viz. :—

(1) To assist in maintaining complete the establishment of her Majesty's forces, and (2) To secure technical education, employment, and assistance to those who are serving, or have served, in the Navy, the Army, and the Reserve Forces.

That this National Association should organise an influential Committee in each county, composed of the Lord-Lieutenant and of gentlemen selected from the Deputy-Lieutenants, Justices of Peace, the Lord Mayors, Mayors, Aldermen, and Councillors, of the cities and beroughs in each county. County Aldermen and Councillors, large employers of labour, representatives of Trade- Unions, artisans, officers and retired officers of her Majesty's Navy, Army, and Reserve Forces, officers commanding county Yeomanry, Militia, and Volunteer regiments, and others. That these in- fluential County Committees should carry out the following work, viz.

(1) To be in touch with the managers of each voluntary school and School Board in the county, and ascertain what boys (with the consent of their parents) desire to join the Mercantile Marine, Navy, Army, or Reserve Forces.

(2) That such boys who wish to join the Mercantile Marine and the Royal Navy be passed on to training ships upon their leaving the elementary school (thus obtaining a technical education).

(3) That boys who wish to serve in the Army or Militia be sent to be technically taught some local or other trade under the auspices of the County Council.

(4) To assist (when applied to) in obtaining suitable employ- ment for such men of good character who have served or are serving in the Naval Reserve, Army Reserve, Militia, and Volunteers, by means of a local labour bureau.

(5) To organise through the County Council to continue techni- cally to educate recruits during the time they are serving in the depot in each county.

(6) To arrange technical education facilities for men serving in the county Militia and Volunteers where found practicable.

(7) To afford assistance to men of good character (recruited within the county) who wish to emigrate, or who are ill or injured, or in distress, and who apply for help, or who require to be sent to a home of rest, hospital, or convalescent home.

(8) To work in concert with the Soldiers' and Sailors' Fami- lies Association in each county.

(9) To organise the drilling of boys at all schools.

(10) To help to provide rifle ranges in each district and encourage rifle clubs.

The benefits to the nation and to the individual to be derived from the efficient working of such an organization as I have indicated above are very far reaching, and carried on over a course of a few years would greatly strengthen the hands of the Executive Departments ey making service in the Army and Militia much more popular, and in a short time would secure recruits from the best of the artisan and working classes. Also it would obviate the necessity of putting in force the ballot for the Militia. Through this Association, the men who are giving up some of the best years of their lives to the service of their country would feel that the leading men in their own county, town, or village vere taking an interest in their iniividual welfare, and, by affording them the benefit of organised technical education, were raising their power of usefulness and of earning good wages. There are hundreds of experienced men of all classes throughout this country who are able and willing to take their part in making a properly thought out scheme a success, and, if successful, after a fair trial, then the years of failure to make service in the Army and the Reserve Forces thoroughly popular will soon be forgotten.

The nation will be only too thankful to have such a powerful organisation helping to complete the establishment of its services with the best class of men, and at the same time

increasing technical education, so much to be desired in the

true interest of the country, and in its race for commercia supremacy.—I am, Sir, &c.,

H. B. ILAHS HAMILTON,

Colonel Commanding the Northumberland Artillery, Western Division, Royal Garrison Artillery.

Athencrum Club, London, S. TV.