A NATIONAL GUARD.
[To THE EDITOR OF TUE "SPECTATOR.") Silt,—Large numbers of Englishmen must have read with approval your proposals for "County Guards" in a recent issue of the Spectator. I have for some time past been working with others to organise ex-Volunteers into a Reserve for the new Territorial Army. Hundreds of ex-Volunteers enrolled themselves during the South African War at my instance. I see in Wednesday's Morning Post it is estimated that ex-Volunteers capable of hearing arms amount to about a million, and to these you must add men who have belonged to the Army Reserve, and Militia and Yeomanry. For the moment we want a Central Committee and County Committees in order to develop as far as possible a uniform scheme. For the present the new County Associations will be worried by the commanding officers of the Territorial Army, by General officers of military districts, and, worse than all, by the War Office; but in a few years' time the County Associations should take over the "County Guards." I may add that Jam continually receiving support from ex-Volunteers while enrolling themselves. I shall only be too pleased to give full particulars as to the scheme to those who will write to me. I trust that you, Mr. Editor, will join the Central Provisional Committee with a view to forcing Ibis big question upon public attention. May I add that a number of ex-Volunteers are willing to put in a limited amount of musketry and drill? These will constitute Reserve A of the National Guard, and Reserve B will consist of those who cannot put in drill or rifle practice, but who will parade once a year, as part of the "County Guard."—I am, Sir, &c., CHARLES FORD, V.D., Lieut.-Colonel.
P.S.—Ex-Volunteer officers and others willing to join a Provisional Committee to organise a Reserve of ex-Volunteers for the new Territorial Army are invited to write to "Adjutant," care of Colonel Ford, Outer Temple, Strand, W.C.
[We fed that the "trained men" at present attached to no organisation will not be effectively organised except through the County Associations. At the same time, we recognise the great difficulty of the Associations taking up such work till they have been at least a year in office. That being so, we see no harm, but rather good, in the proposal to form a pro- visional central organisation made by Colonel Ford. It should be made clear, however, that the new central body will hand over the men on its registers to the County Associations as soon as those bodies are ready to undertake the work of forming "County Guards."—En. Spectator.]
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