The Times, in a paper announcing that recruiting is falling-off,
chiefly because the standard of age has been raised from eighteen to nineteen, publishes some statistics which show the almost unexpected value of the Reserve. The men belonging to this force, all trained soldiers, now amount to 30,000, and by 1886' they will, with the Supplemental Reserve, amount to 60,000. Of these, at least 90 per cent. will, on an emergency, be present with the colours. So far from the men disappearing during the recent mobilisation, 96 per cent. at once appeared to fulfil their engagements ; and of these, again, less than 4 per cent. were declared physically unfit. Roughly speaking, we shall within five years have a Reserve of 55,000 trained men sure to be present when called on, and costing only £10 per head per annum. That is a remarkable success, for an innovation which was at first distrusted by the public, more than by old soldiers. Many of the former knew, what the latter do not, that to be summoned for a campaign, with its adventures and chances, is a very different thing from being summoned for barrack duty. The men feel the discredit of shirking active service just as much as their leaders do.
Previous page
