HC Deb 11 July 1905 vol 149 cc252-5
MR. MARKS (Kent, Thanet)

To ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state what results have been obtained by recruiting on the nine years term of enlistment for the general-service Army since the introduction of that system in October last, stating the figures month by month, and showing how they compare with the results obtained for

For 12 Years. For 3 Years. For 9 Years. Total.
October, 1903 104 3,119 — 3,223
November, 1905 106 2,638 — 2,744
December, 1903 67 2,207 — 2,274
January, 1904 89 3,698 — 3,787
February, 1904 87 2,798 — 2,885
March, 1904 86 2,360 — 2,446
April, 1904 51 1,986 — 2,037
May, 1904 58 1,325 — 1,383
June, 1904 57 1,702 — 1,759
705 21,833 — 22,538
For 12 years. For 3 years. For 9 years. Total.
October, 1904 129 1,940 386 2,455
November, 1904 67 5 2,337 2,409
December, 1904 79 — 2,182 2,261
January, 1905 76 — 2,852 2,928
February, 1905 79 1 1,959 2,039
March, 1905 102 — 1,646 1,748
April, 1905 73 — 835 908
May, 1905 48 — 926 974
June, 1905 43 — 1,088 1,131
696 1,946 14,211 16,853

NOTE.—Cavalry recruiting closed until January, 1905. Royal Army Medical the corresponding months of the previous year.

(Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) The figures are as follows:—

Corps closed in 1903, opened in London, 20th May, 1904. Army Ordnance Corps only open to headquarters since 1902. Army Service Corps open to drivers. October, 1904, and artificers; otherwise only open to mechanical transport. Royal Artillery—Horse and Field practically closed in 1903; reopened about December, 1904. Royal Garrison Artillery—Generally opened July, 1904. Royal Engineers—Opened in certain districts for drivers in February, 1904, and generally for drivers in all districts April, 1904, and again shut 10th September, 1904. Sappers of certain trades opened in April, 1905. Drivers reopened 1st May, 1905, generally.

Total Nos. of 7, 8, and 9 years men at home, 1–6–05. India and Tropical Colonies. Other Colonies.
Drafts required. No. of 7, 8, and 9 years men available. Surplus or wanting. Drafts required. No. of 7. 8, and 9 years men available. Surplus or wanting.
Cavalry 6,398 262 1,100 +938 215 1,170 +965
Artillery—
Horse 983 215 476 +261 24 445 +421
Field 5,086 871 2,432 +1,561 416 2,200 +1,774
Garrison 2,595 1,084 1,325 -241 1,033 1,270 +237
Infantry 17,495 11,826 8,052 -3,774 4,599 3,900 -699

The present total strength, rank and file, at home and abroad, is 227,971. As regards the last part of the Question, it is hoped that the recruiting for nine years will have sufficiently advanced to enable the introduction of the new short-service system towards the close of the year.