With the greatest satisfaction we record the decision of the
Government to give an official status to the Volunteer Training Corps under certain conditions. This will be done without a new Bill by means of the Volunteer Act of 1863. This Act gives the Crown power to call out Volunteer Corps for military service in Britain in the event of invasion. Volunteer officers rank with Regular officers as the youngest of their respective ranks. The Volunteers may be placed under the command of General and field officers. Pensions and allowances can be granted in the case of men killed or disabled while on military service. The decision has come just in time to save the V.T.C. An access of strength may now be expected, and a strong revival of the enthusiasm which had been fading away under bitter disappointments. We sincerely hope that the Central Asso- ciation of V.T.C. will be kept in being. Lord Desborough and his staff have presided over the creation of a wondesfully useful Landaturm more than a quarter of a million strong, without asking the Government for a single penny except for the rod brassards, which were supplied free by the War Office.
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