COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 1 August 1870)

§ THE DUKE OF RICHMOND
inquired whether the present system of enlistment would be continued, or whether the power of the Secretary of State to fix the term for which men were to be permitted to enlist would exist alongside 1263 of that system? He feared that the class of men from whom recruits were taken would not be able to understand these nice distinctions as to the period of enlistment. The 1st sub-section fixed 12 years as the term of enlistment; but provided that there must be a re-enlistment and 21 years' service; while the 2nd sub-section empowered the Secretary for War to decide the period of service for which a man might re-enlist, and that period might be as short as three years. There was no period at which a clearer understanding on this matter was more necessary than at present, for, as the Royal Commission on recruiting had pointed out, wars would probably be sudden and short, so that a country should be prepared for any contingency or combination. The option given to the Secretary of State by the 8th clause, to permit enlistment for particular regiments, he should wish to see converted into a compulsory provision, for esprit de corps made particular regiments popular in particular districts, and without such a provision recruiting would be discouraged.

§ LORD NORTHBROOK
explained that the present system of recruiting, by which a man enlisted for 12 and might serve 21 years, would be maintained in its entirety. The 9th clause allowed men to serve for such further period as would make up a total continuous period of 21 years.

VISCOUNT MELVILLE
objected to the Secretary of State having power to order a soldier out of the Army after three years' service.

§ LORD NORTHBROOK
said, this could only be done with the soldier's consent. The clause enabled a soldier to extend the six years' Army service for which he had enlisted to 12 years, and it empowered the Secretary of State to allow men to go into the Reserve, instead of being discharged.

§ THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE
said, he strongly objected to only three years' service; but he understood the object of the clause to be to allow these men, in 1264 the event of a reduction of the force or some other contingency, to go into the Reserve without being discharged.

§ LORD NORTHBROOK
said, general regulations would at once be issued, pointing out the particular regiments in which men might enlist. The object of the Government was to obtain men for general service, and at the same time maintain the regimental system. Their wish was to get as many recruits as they could, and it was necessary that some discretion should be allowed them.

§ THE DUKE OF RICHMOND
suggested that the 8th clause should, for the sake of clearness, be added to the 6th.

§ EARL DE LA WARR
proposed a new clause, the object of which was to provide against a contingency which was not effectually covered by any provision of the Bill—namely, to give power to retain the service of time-expired soldiers during war with any foreign Power. No such power was given either in the Enlistment Bill of 1847 or in that of 1857. This power would only apply to soldiers enlisted after the passing of the Bill, and he believed the first-class Army Reserve would come within its scope, without any undue straining of the terms of their engagement. He wished to know whether there would be power to enlist men for three years without the condition of serving in the Reserve?

§ LORD NORTHBROOK
replied in the affirmative, the Duke of Wellington having always held that a provision limiting the period of service authorized enlistments for any shorter term. He would, however, take a legal opinion on the point, and if necessary amend the Bill in that sense. He thought it would be better if the power conferred by his noble and gallant Friend's clause were made an addition to Clause 12.

§ VISCOUNT HARDINGE
asked what arrangement would be made with regard to the Reserve?

§ LORD NORTHBROOK
said, he could not give a precise answer at present. Through the instrumentality of the illustrious Duke (the Duke of Cambridge) the opinions of officers had been collected as to the reasons which deterred 1265 men from joining the Reserve. These were found to be two—first, the insufficiency of the pay, which had now been doubled; and, secondly, the fear of too great an interference with their ordinary pursuits. Care would therefore be taken as to the latter point.

§ THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE
remarked that the best means of securing efficiency and, at the same time, of avoiding too great an interference with the ordinary occupations of the men was a difficult question, which would be duly considered by the Secretary of State and himself. He was not prepared at present to say what arrangement would be satisfactory.