ENGLAND WENT TO WAR

Evening Star, Issue 15479, 29 April 1914, Page 10

ENGLAND WENT TO WAR

The Army Estimates wore introduced by the then War Minister (Colonel Seely) in a speech full of interesting points. Ho informed the House of Commons that the regulars are 6,000 short, but os there is a surplus of J3,000 men in the reserves the balance on mobilisation would be 5,000 to the good “There is thus,” said Colonel Seely, “no breakdown in our military system. If we went to war to-morrow” we should have the following resources; 117,(XX) men in India and the Deminions, 112.000 men at home. 146.000 men in the Army Reserve. An expeditionary force of 162,000 men, with horses, guns, and every equipment, could be mobilised in a much shorter time than hitherto. The “speeding up” of mobilisation arrangements had been remarkable. “1 am persuaded there would be no muddling in this matter," said Colonel Seely. The War Secretary spoke briefly of Army flying, and quoted the bitter confession made to him by a representative of one of the foremost combatant Powers in the Balkan War : “Had we had one single aeroplane the whole history of Europe would have been altered.” In the course of the delate a lively passage at arms took place between' General Sir K. Pole Carew and the Secretary of War, The point was as to whether .the Navy could be relied upon by itself to protect ua against invasion. Colonel Seely warmly resented the statement that the First Sea Lord had gone back on his word in this matter.