§ COLONEL MUREasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that volunteering for the Line has been opened within the last few days in various regiments of Militia; and, if that is the case, whether this course has been rendered necessary owing to the youth and want of stamina of the regiments at home which would naturally furnish the reinforcements of the Army in Zululand?
§ COLONEL STANLEYIt is the case, Sir, that on this, as on some other previous occasions, volunteers from the Militia have been called for to fill up vacancies in certain regiments—in this instance, in the first regiment for foreign service, and in the deôpts of regiments serving in the field. The vacancies had been caused by these other regiments having to give up large numbers of men to the regiments serving at the Cape. It has been decided to limit the volunteering to men of 20 years of age. It is with the view undoubtedly, of getting men of a more seasoned nature than the recruits who would naturally come to the Colours, and, to a certain extent, trained men.
§ COLONEL MUREgave Notice that, on an early day, he should call the attention of the House to the unsatisfactory working of the present short-service system in the Army, to the youth and immaturity of a large portion of the Infantry of the Line, and the consequent difficulty in providing an ample Force for the defence of our Colonial Empire in times of emergency.