§ The Militia has been gaining in numbers since 1883, showing on 1st January, 1887, an increase of 2,202 in enrolled strength compared with the previous year. To complete the establishment 11,000 men are still wanted, but this force gave nearly that number of recruits to the Army during last year. There is still a large deficiency of Officers, though it is satisfactory to note that, in spite of the large number passing into the Army, there has been a gain of 119 Officers during the year. The Militia, indeed, not only fulfils the important function of being, under the Territorial system, the conduit pipe to the Army, but the mobilization scheme assigns to every one of our Militia regiments a necessary place in the homo and colonial garrisons.