THE " SPECTATOR " EXPERIMENTAL COMPANY.

[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR,"] Srn,—I am the last person in the world to appear to throw cold water on Colonel Pollock's interesting Experiment to train recruits up to a certain standard in six months, but before thinking that the success of this Experiment (which seems now absolutely assured) will show us the way to train a national Militia, even voluntarily recruited, it will be as well to take the following points into consideration :—

(I) Colonel Pollock has been studying the "art of training" for many years, and may fairly be looked upon as a past-master in the subject. He has grasped, if I may venture to say so, not only the letter, but what is of far more importance, the spirit of training. But this ability is almost a gift, and certainly not one officer in a thousand has this gift.

(2) The Times special correspondent who witnessed the "Experimental Company's" field day on the 13th inst. states that "the men [of this Company] average in every quality that goes to make a good soldier a good 30 per cent. above the usual batch of Militia recruits absorbed by a regimental dep6t."

(3) With enthusiasts and experts like Colonel Pollock and his assistants to train them, and the eyes of all England watching results, the men of this Company would be void of imagination indeed if they did not "play up" to the full.

Now none of these incentives to success (if I may call them so) will be present at an ordinary Militia recruits' training, and the results will consequently be very disappointing. Personally, I think—and I have gone very carefully into the question—that the only sound way to form a real "war reserve" as economically as possible is as follows :—

(1) Government support and recognition of "Boys' Brigade" and other kindred organisations, in return demanding a certain standard of proficiency from the boys.

(2) A year's voluntary training at the age of eighteen, those completing this training passing voluntarily into the Reserve or Militia.

(3) All Reserve men who come out annually for a fortnight's training to receive, in addition to ordinary pay while so training,

a reserve fee of £10 per annum.

: If the "standing Army" were enlisted for long service and pensions, and the Reserve, therefore, were only liable for service in case of real "Imperial emergency," I feel certain that the number of men joining the Reserve would only be limited by the age at which they would have to leave it.

—I am, Sir, &c., E. J. MEDLEY, Lieut.-Col.

[(1) We admit that Colonel Pollock is an admirable trainer of men, but we are confident that if he were given the chance he could transmit his knack of training to other officers,

if not in its entirety, in quite sufficient force. (2) The men of the Spectator Experimental Company are excellent examples

of young Englishmen, but thousands just as good could be

found in any part of the kingdom. They are not in any way picked men, unless making it an absolute condition that

they should have had no previous service as Volunteers crr in the Militia or Army constitutes picking. We were obliged to insist on good characters, as we depend upon the men's

sense of honour and good faith to preserve discipline. (3) No doubt the men of the Spectator Experimental Company " play up," but we are sure that our correspondent would not desire to argue that this fact vitiates the utility of the Experiment.—ED. Spectator.]