It may be worth while to explain how this result can be secured.
Let us assume that the Act authorising the new system is passed during a
year, which may be called '00, and that it is to come into force on the
1st January of the year '01. The Act would probably exempt from its
operations the men at the date of its passing already serving in any of
the existing forces, including the territorial army, and the discussion
on the Bill would, no doubt, have the effect of filling the territorial
army up to the limit of its establishment, 315,000 men.
On the 31st December '00 the available troops would therefore be:--
Regulars in the United Kingdom (present
figure) 138,000
Special reserve 67,000
Army reserve (probably diminished from present
strength) 120,000
Territorial force 315,000
--------
Total 640,000
========
From the 1st January '01 recruiting on present conditions for all these
forces would cease.
The regular army of 138,000
would lose drafts to India and the
Colonies 23,000
and would have lost during '00
by waste at 5 per cent 6,900
-------
29,000
This would leave: -------
regular army under old conditions 108,100
and leave room for recruits under new conditions 91,900
=======
The total available for mobilisation during the year '01 would
therefore be:--
Regulars 200,000
Paid reserves (the present first-class reserve.
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