§ MR. ASHLEYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what number of Special Reservists have been enlisted for the Infantry of the Line and the Horse and Field Artillery respectively up to 1st May; and what number of Special Reservists were being trained by the thirty-three batteries of training brigades on that date.
§ MR. HALDANEThe number of men who enlisted for the Special Reserve from 15th January to 1st May was as follows: Royal Field Artillery, 1,406; Infantry, 10,830. The number drilling with the training brigades on 1st May was 934.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERAre 80 or 90 per cent. of these men nominally enlisted for the Special Reserve known to be going on to the Line and necessary for the Line?
§ MR. HALDANENo doubt a good many will go into the Line, but I do not know how many. Where you enlist men from seventeen upwards a good many do go into the line.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIs it not a fact that unless 10,000 of these men pass on to the Line, the Line will be short of the establishment?
§ MR. HALDANEI do not know. Recruiting for the Line has very much improved of late and we hope there will be a considerable number for the Line—very likely 10,000. I see no reason why we should not get them.