BRITAIN'S MILITARY SPIRIT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4298, 6 March 1901, Page 4

BRITAIN'S MILITARY SPIRIT.

If the British War Office is not acting on the policy, enunciated by Mr Arnold White, of adjusting the Imperial defences to Imperial needs, it is evidently determined, pending the announcement by the recently-appointed commissioners of necessary reforms in methods and organisation, to be adequately supplied with “sinews of war.” Our cablegrams have informed us that the Army Estimates for 1901-1902 amount to nearly eighty-eight millions sterling, and provide for air effective force of 450,000 men. Seldom in the history of the British nation has the taxpayer been asked to provide so enormous an expenditure for defence and .conflict. It is’ true that the long Napoleonic wars caused the British people to expend in twentyyears somethmg like 620 millions' sterling; but the expenditure of eightyeight millions in the manner proposed by the Estimates for the year 1901-1902 is quite unprecedented. Of course, in this proposed expenditure is included the amounts necessary to make reparation and to provide gratuities to the relatives and friends of the killed and wounded in the Transvaal war. tensions will also be awarded to the widows and children of those who Have died as the result of active operations. This is a humane as well as necessary provision. It has too Ipng been a charge against the British nation that the soldier’s widow and orphan have been.forgotten in the flush of victory. _ .It is essential that those who depended on him who fell fighting the nation’s battles should be made to realise, as far as material comforts can enable them to do

so, that the nation is prepared to as-. suago their sorrows and compensate them for their loss.

The outstanding feature of the situation disclosed by the Army Estimates is that the British are still a fighting people, and are prepared to meet baldly any emergency. It has been the pleasure of our enemies to gloat roar our discomfiture, and any rigour displayed by them in making extensive preparations for war has been regarded, as a successful movement towards tin-, overthrow of British Isuxirc'anacy and power. The French have always i ultirated an exuberant hostility for their neighbours across the English Channel, and have repeatedly planned an invasion of the British Isles. Giving vent to this hostility, an eminent. Frenchman, more than forty years ago. wrote—' Destiny has already marked mi the dial-plate iof empires the hour cf decline. Before 1899 the haughty Mistress of the Otfcan will have , sunk to the level of Holland. America and Russia, the two Romes of the fu- i turo. will long ere then have occupied the vacant space. The British' Empire may possibly struggle on a. few years' longer, but that it is doomed, and that; its palmiest days have set for ever, ivireasonable man can doubt.’' When wej are able to vote £87,910.009 for wai ■ purposes two years after this precious i forecast was to find fulfilment, it isi surely a forcible negation, to the pro - j science of the prophet. I The point to bo emphasised is. that the fii»t step towards placing the. British Army on an efficient footing has been taken. Some regard a, social reform in the army as the first step to raising its status and efficiency. It is recognised that rank and fortune do not make men soldiers, and the experience of the present campaign has proved that the officer of high social standing has not been the man to win honour and fame. However, the pay for military service has been inadequate, and many young men of grit and lira in have preferred a. civil career to that which the army offered. The various increases now provided for in the different ’branches of the sendee arc doubtless intended to improve the prospects of the capable, but not wealthy soldier. Leaving out of consideration the fifty-eight millions required for “war services” and reparation, there remain of the total vote nearly thirty millions for ordinary services. ! That allows for ah expenditure of nine millions more than lastyear, and for the maintennnea of a permanent army of 220,000 men—an increase of 40,000. The effective forces, which, "exceed that figure by 230,(100 men of all ranks, are to be regarded as temporary forces on account of the war, and they will be maintained until August next, after which they will be gradually reduced. But besides all this, greater encouragement is being offered to the militia and volunteers. The strength of the irregular and partially trained forces, is to be brought up to 375,000 men, and, as it may be presumed, the majority -of those retiring from the effective . force will become attached to the reserve, the fighting numbers of the British people will be higher than they have been at any period in the nation’s history. We may anticipate tjhat a spirit of militarism will now permeate ail sections of the Anglo-Saxon race. Opportunities will be taken to cultivate a martial spirit in all ranks of society, and volunteering and rifle clubs will receive the approval and patronage of the State in a greater degree than hitherto. While tho philanthropist and social reformer will regret expenditure being made in warlike, preparations, the. political economist will regard it as necessary if the British nation is to maintain its position in the world. The hour is not yet when swords shall he beaten into ploughshares,' and: all expenditure on war must still be counted as essential to the Empire’s defence and independence.