§ MR. MARKS (Kent, Thanet)To ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state in detail the progress made in recruiting for the General Service Army on the new lengthened terms of enlistment, viz., nine years with the colours and three years with the Reserve, giving the number of recruits obtained, specifying those in the Metropolitan area and those in the provinces, together with the figures for November, and December, 1904, and January, 1905, and those for November and December, 1903, and January, 1904, when the short term of three years with the colours was the rule; 1083 and whether he can say how far the long-term men now being obtained have made up for the deficit of last year in the drafts for India and the Colonies caused by the failure of the three-year men to re-engage.
| For three years Colour Service and nine years in the Reserve. | |||
| Number raised. | Number raised in London. | Number raised in Provinces. | |
| November, 1903 | 2,638 | 287 | 2,351 |
| December, 1903 | 2,207 | 200 | 2,007 |
| January, 1904 | 3,698 | 432 | 3,266 |
| 8,543 | 919 | 7,624 |
§ In reply to the second part of the Question there was no deficit in the drafts last year for India or the Colonies. Men who had failed to extend were sent out as drafts to obviate any possible deficiency.