THE CONDITION OF THE MILITIA.
Sin—I entirely agree with the remark in your excellent article on the i
Army Estimates, n last Saturday's Spe,ctator, that Mr. Sydney Herbert, in his late statement, " was very. obscure on the future of the Militia." I wish, however, to try to modify your opinion, that, with the exception of the embodied regiments, "the existing Militia is a delusion and a snare." I belong to one of the sixteen regiments which were summarily dismissed in the spring of 1857, after a six months' winter embodiment, because we had not given a sufficient number of volunteers to the Army. At the training last summer, we numbered upwards of 900 of all ranks ; at present, we have 968 privates all of whom, as the commanding officer and adjutant have been always careful to enroll only county-men of good character, I expect will appear at the next training. I have reason to believe that several other county regiments are equally strong. Therefore, though the Militia, as a whole, and treated as it has been, is to a great extent made up of tramps and uncertain men, there are several favourable exceptions. But what is to be the future treatment of these strong battalions and of the disembodied Militia in general ? That is the question to which many zealous Militia officers are anxiously waiting to have an answer. Should the emergency, the possibility of which has of late alarmed many minds, ever arise, some- thing more is now required of a soldier than knowledge of battalion drill. The regiment to which I belong has not yet been armed with the new rifles. We may probably receive these weapons at the next training. But the three or even four weeks passed in a provincial town, without a practice- ground will give us little or no knowledge of their use. Besides, the hum- drum Jrilhings and exercises will not teach men nor officers anything of skirmishing, outpost duties, and the business of campaigning. Now that rifles and instructors are given by the Government to the Volunteer corps, all true Militiamen must feel themselves more than ever aggrieved if they are denied the proper opportunities of schooling. I quite agree with
you, that, as a principle, the Militia ought not to be embodied e. kept out year after year, like a Line regiment), unless the country be at war, or there be danger of invasion. But something more is wanted for the Militia than the yearly trainings at the head-quarters of the regiments. At least every third year, as in Switzerland, a Militia battalion should be encamped and brigaded with other regiments, under efficient command. Neither men nor officers would object to variety and a little rough work for essential pur- poses. It is the half measures, the uncertainty, and the unequal treatment, which have made such an unfavourable impression on the Militia, and kept many respectable and spirited young men from entering its ranks. 300,000/. have been voted for the embodied Militia ; that is, to keep out some of those regiments, which have been embodied nearly six years, yet another year. Will favoritism never cease, and would it not be better for the country if re
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