THE BRITISH ARMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11907, 7 March 1902, Page 5

THE BRITISH ARMY.

PROPOSED REFORMS. INCREASED RATE OF PAY. THE COLONIES AND IMPERIAL DEFENCE. SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR WAR. By Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright. London, March 5. In the House of Commons Mr. Brodrick, Secretary for War, in outlining the proposed army reforms, said that in future every soldier would have a clear shilling a clay. If at the end of two years a soldier elected to remain with the colours for six years more, serving four years in the reserves, he 'would receive Is Gd a day. It was hoped to attract 50,000 recruits a year, and if half engaged for eight years the army could be kept full and a reserve of from 150,000 to 175,000 could he established. The extra cost of the British service would be £1,460,000, and of the Indian service £786,000. The guns bought in Germany were an immense improvement on the British in rapidity of fire and the distance covered. He hoped colonial statesmen would be willing to undertake the responsibilities closely linking the different parts of the Empire and rendering the whole forces of the Empire available for a war involving the interests of the whole Empire. With regard to the remount question he said it would have been wonderful if there had been no mistakes considering the gigantic remount transactions. He hoped to establish some connection in the colonies for specially breeding army horses.