On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday the Army Estimates were
before the House of Commons. Unfortu- nately, we cannot deal here with the immense mass of details discussed, but we may say generally that we believe Mr. Arnold-Forster to be a Minister who has the true interests of the Army at heart, and we welcome the pas- sage in his speech in which he referred to the unsatis- factory condition of the Auxiliary Forces. The Yeomanry, indeed, is all that could be desired, and in a few weeks it will reach its full establishment. But the condition of the Militia is profoundly unsatisfactory. Its real strength is little more than 75 per cent. of its nominal strength, and there has been a serious falling off in the recruiting. "The fall in the Militia is due to causes which are preventable, and which are obvious." We agree. There is not the slightest reason why the Militia should not be made a most valuable force. Only it must—and the same. remark applies to the Volunteers—be given an organisation which is appropriate to its nature.
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