SIR T. KELLY-KENNY ON ARMY RECRUITS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7889, 19 December 1903, Page 6

SIR T. KELLY-KENNY ON ARMY RECRUITS.

The evidence given by Sir Thomas KellyKenny before the War Commission on the j subject of recruiting was highly interesting. It chiefly consisted, in a memorandum J which ihe attached' to- his- Report ou Recruiting in 1898. This memorandum, however, was never published by Lord Lansdowne, so that it was not until Sir Thomas produced! a copy of it before the War Commission that the contents of the document saw the light of day, Ia this memorandum, whioh was drawn up tlie year before the Boer War, Sir Thomas Kelly-Kenny, the then Inspector-General of Recruiting, pointed out that tk© number of recruits 1 was not only insufficient, but that they were also bad as to " standard " conditions ; and that as the supply from Ireland and Scotland was inadequate, w e hadi to fall back chiefly on the waifs and strays in the populous districts ia England. Sir Thomas, however, was of the opinion, shared by many other authorities since the Boer War, that the question of numbers was not so important as the class from whioh (recruits were obtained, having regard; to the (fact that European warfare requires a high standard of individual intelligence in tho soldier. It was a fact also that although we spent vast sums on armament, equipment and training, we made little attempt to 'bring 1 about an improvement in the chief factor of war, namely, the soldier. To arrive at this end Sir Thomas started in 'his memorandum that he was convinced that not less than two shillings a day and free rations would be sufficient, and that possibly we should have to go higher. In addition to which it would ,be obligatory to find employment "for cxsolduers to a inuoh greater extent them had hitherto been the case. In short the cla«s of men we wanted, according to Sir Thomas Kelly -Kenny's ideal, are those now serving in the ranks of the Volunteers. Sir Thomas believes that our soldiers do not compare well either physically or intellectually with those of European armies ; that our men get less training in tihe same time as do the soldiers on the Continent, and that a great deal too much non-mili-tary duty is performed in our Army, whioh work should be arranged for by tlie ■employment of outside iabour. Moreover, with, the (present three years' enlistment the Reserve of the future inquired some regular system of training. Sir Thomas believes that sooner or later a conscript army in some shape of form will beoome necessary, but that we might have Wo aarmies, so to speak. An army far home service and) one to take the field in any part of tihe world in the event of a war of any magnitude. This would be the conscript army. The other army would be a highly-paid one for India and our coalin!T-<;t:ntions abroad in ordinary time, and for employment in small wars ia which the conscript army would not be used oxcept it were absolutely necessary ; in which case Sir Thomas believes many men of the home Army would come forward for active service. Failing compulsory service, Sir Thomas is of opinion that we must reduce our numbea-s and a<im moire afc quality and thorough efficiency, and this is now undoubtedly the view held by many .other experts who agree that, with a limited' sum to spend on our land forces, we must have a. small- ;uid effective Army* instead of a. larir« one on paper as we have had in the p.ist. Finally, Sir Thomas considers tlia-t t l^-o Regular Army must be made perfect- l>.foi> much money ! is spent on tihe Auxiliary Forces.