ARMY REORGANISATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9400, 9 April 1902, Page 4

ARMY REORGANISATION.

THE COLONIES TO ASSIST IN'DEFENCE OF EMPIRE

(Per R.M.S. Ventura at Auckland.) ' SAN FRANCISCO, March 20.

A calole to the New York Sun, dated London, March 15, says Portsmouth News, referring to Mr Broderick's scheme of reorganising the Army, states that from what can be gathered Great Britain and Ireland would produce and equip six Army Corps, three of which, representing with cavalry brigades 150,000 men, would be prepared to take the field for defence of the colonies, or for action against a European Power. This would leave an equal number for home defence, besides militia, Yeomanry, and volunteers allotted to coast and garrison defence. The scheme is said to arrange for India to provide one army corps from the various presidencies, South Africa two army corps, available for service anywhere, Australia two; New Zealand and Canada to furnish four militia corps, available if required. The scheme contemplates periodical visits of Imperial troops to the colonies. A despatch from London on March Bth says that the new army regulations proposed by the War Secretary, Mr Brodrick, appear to have been copied directly from the United States. They relate to increased pay and other reforms, and have excited much comment. Major Arthur Lee, M.P., formerly British Military Attache at Washington, writes: "At last we have taken out a leaf from your excellent book. Under Mr Brodrick's proposed changes a private in the British infantry now receives as much pay as a private in the United States Army. With this change we hope to get a class of recruits similar to those secured in America. Under the old pay we were gradually lowering the physical standard, yet finding it hard to get men, while our desertion percentage waß increasing nt a rate which showed there was something radically wrong with the system. For the first time Tommy , with 'everything found and a higher pay, will be in a better position than his agricultural brother, and from that we now ought to get the best instead of the worst. The present move banishes all possibility of conscription, for I understand Mr Brodrirk is willing to go even further, and by liberal finance build up the standard of the army. Tlie increase of pay means an annual cost of an additional two million pounds."