LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE NATIONAL RESERVE: A. SUGGESTED PARADE FOR LONDON.
[To TIM EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SITZ,—The proposal made in your issue of February 24th that a parade of the National Reserve should be held in London in June or July next will, I am convinced, go far to persuade the Government and the country that the experiment so success- fully initiated in Surrey should be extended throughout Great Britain. The note of danger energetically sounded by Lord Roberts has been deadened by the optimistic calm of Lord Haldane. But certain facts are beyond dispute.
1. In 1907 the War Office asked for 310,000 Territorials trained for a fortnight and fully officered ; they have got 260,000, and of these, on a generous estimate, not more than 150,000 could be relied on for the first shock of battle against trained troops.
2. The events of last September prove that instead of six months' training, as contemplated in 1907, the Territorials could not be certain of more than a fortnight before the Regular Army had left the country. 3. A reserve of trained men to fill up the Territorial ranks is a necessity.
Surely whatever be the future, men of all military per- suasions should, join in trying to fill this gaping chasm by the National Reserve, a force which needs nothing beyond organization, uniform, and arms, whose cost and training would be infinitesimal, but whose timely enrolment may save us from a legitimate national panic.
I trust you may be' successful in your efforts to inspire the movement, to which I will gladly contribute.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Previous page
