The recent announcement of the reorganization and expansion of the Territorial Army once more draws attention to the peculiar position in Great Britain with regard to national defence. In the past the main strength of the country's defence has been the Navy. The land force consists of a Regular Army, voluntarily recruited, the chief duty of which the vast British Empire overseas, auxiliary force, the Territorial Army, of ci who voluntarily devote their spare time to military training. During the Great War, when large Expeditionary Forces were sent to the various theatres of war, conscription was ultimately introduced, but until then the sentiment of the country had always been against compulsory service. The Prime Minister-recently announced that it is not his intention to introduce conscription during the lifetime. of this Parliament; so immediate attention will be paid to strengthening the Territorial units. The anti-aircraft divisions will be increased from two to five. During the past year the number of men serving in the anti-aircraft divisions was doubled; by next year it will almost have been doubled again. The new Territorial Army will, with modifications appropriate to its peculiar character, "be given the same content and put on the same footing as the Regular Army." It is not to be expected. that the so-called "amateurs" of the Territorial Army, who have their daily work to do in civil life, can become in all ways as efficient as the "professionals" of the Regular Army; but they are now being welded into a formidable force for home defence.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.