§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what steps, if any, are being taken to effect the identification of men fraudulently enlisting; and whether any Report has been received from any of our military attaches abroad in favour of the Bertillon system?
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN, Stirling, &c.)Beyond constant watchfulness and the question answered by the recruit on attestation, no special steps such as the hon. Member refers to are taken to identify men fraudulently enlisting. With regard to the Militia, the simultaneous training of many battalions checks the practice, and officers and noncommissioned officers have in certain cases been sent to inspect the recruits up for training. The Bertillon system may be admirably adapted for the identification of criminals, but it has not been thought desirable to apply such a system to the Army.