COLONEL LONG (Worcestershire, Evesham)I beg to ask the Under Sceretary of State for War how many below establishment the cavalry, the horse and field artillery, the garrison artillery, the guards, and the infantry, serving at home respectively, were, on the 1st January, 1898, and on the 1st April, 1898?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ST. JOHN BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford,The honourable Member no doubt desires a comparison of the condition of the Army on 1st April, 1898, with that on 1st January. The discharges from the colours at this time of year, owing to the return of troopships from India, are particularly heavy, and a decrease usually takes place. The inflow in these three months of 1898 was 12,960, the outflow being 12,606; the inflow in the three months of 1897 was 9,401, and the outflow was 12,215. The cavalry gained 15, as against a loss of 200 last year. The horse and field artillery gained 10, as against a loss of 296 last year. The mountain and garrison artillery gained 118, as against a loss of 226 last year. The foot guards gained 227, whereas last year they gained 100. The infantry of the line lost 244 this year, but last year they lost 1,968. Over the whole Army this year there has been a net gain of 354, as compared with a loss of 2,814 in January to April, 1897. Of the men who have come in this year, 2,038 were reservists returning to the colours, leaving a net gain by recruiting alone of 1,521 in three months.