The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1916. BRITAIN'S RECORD.

Waikato Times, Volume 86, Issue 13082, 17 January 1916, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1916. BRITAIN'S RECORD.

.Main people in New Zealand, as well is in other parts of the Empire, are much disappointed at the progress hitherto made in the war hy the Allies, and especially at the apparent slowness of Britain to put armies in the field isays a contemporary). This disappointment is often concealed under a surface optimism, hut it exists nevertheless and causes a feeling oi nervous tension which is really injurious. There is, however, no cause whatever for disappointment at the efforts of Britain and the Empire. Doubtless mistakes have hoen made, but Britain has on the whole achieved magnificent le ults. Those who complain that wo were too late to save Serbia, as we were too late to save Belgium, merely display ignorance of the conditions under which great armies can he raised. Whatever opinion may he held as to the views expressed by General von Bernhardi in his hooks on war, no one will deny his competence to speak on the German army. In his Look on "Germany and the Next War" he strongly advocates tin l introduction of universal military service in Germany instead of the system oi calling up only about ofl per cent. of the men available every year. He remarks, however, that the peace army could not be suddenly increased hv 1.10,000 men. because the necessary training staff and equipment would be wanting, li this was the case in Germany, what difficulties bad to be encountered in Britain in suddenly bringing into existence an army of three million nun' Every military authority in the world would have declared that such a task was an impossible one: yet it is being accomplished, and Kitchener's men have proved themselves fine soldiers in the field. When we remember that the British armies have had half a million casualties and that those are now in the various theatres of war at least a million of the Empire's soldiers we shall feel less surprise that Sir lan Hamilton could not all the men be wanted on the Gallipoli Peninsula or that the British fortes at Salonika were less numerous than could have been desired. Those who are discontented with the slim total of Britain's efforts to extemporise, an army on the Continental scale merely display ignorance of the elementary (acts of military science.