London, Oct. 20.
Changes in the organization of the War Office and the military appointments connected with them, to which the King has given his approval with a view to making and providing for the position now occupied by the Territorial Army as an indispensable branch of the fighting services, were disclosed by the War Secretary, Mr. Leslie Hore-Belisha, in a speech at the dinner of City Lieutenants at Mansion House to-night.
There was, he said, no other country which could offer a spectacle of competent and resolute voluntary defence services on a scale of those of Great Britain.
In the Territorials they had an army almost as large as the Regular Army and there was no doubt it must be expected in war to play a full part. Already it was charged with defending Britain's coasts and skies. That was a tremendous responsibility.
Mr. Here-Belisha then announced that the King had approved the nomination of General Sir Walter Kirke, Director-General of. the Territorial Army, as member of the Army Council All questions affecting the Territorial Army would henceforth be concentrated and administered at the War Office under the Director-General who would be given an adequate staff.
The King also approved the creation of the new post of Deputy Director-General of the Territorial Army and the promotion of a Territorial officer to the rank of Major-General who would hold that office.
After commenting on the spirit of ce-operation which existed between the Regular and Territorial Armies and which the changes announced would strengthen, the War Secretary said that in his remarks he had dwelt not on armed strength which could be pressed and ordered into service, but on that deep and inexhaustible reserve, which was not numbered in men alone nor counted in cannon, but which was more impregnable than these—the -quiet, persistent and unshakeable resolve of the British people, without premature or permanent dislocation of the balance of its national economy and life, to meet any crisis and to endure.—Wireless through Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.