THE STATE OF THE ARMY. (Hansard, 30 March 1903)

§ THE EARL OF WEMYSS

My Lords, I beg to move for a Return showing, with regard to the Army, on the 1st January, 1903:—(1) the Establishment; (2) the number actually serving; (3) the number serving under twenty years of age, nineteen years of age, eighteen years of age, seventeen years of age, sixteen years of age, and under; (4) the standard heights for different Arms; (5) the number below standard height in different Arms; (6) the standard chest measurement for different Arms; (7) the number below the standard in different Arms; (8) same returns as to Establishment, etc., applied to the Militia; (9) the number of Army Reserve in 1903 and 1902; (10) the number of Militia Reserve in 1903 and 1902. I understand that his Majesty's Government, wishing to give the public all the information possible with reference to the state of the Army, intend to grant this Return. I am very glad to hear that that is so. I have also communicated with my noble friend the Under-Secretary and informed him that there is an addition to this Motion which I should like to make, and which I also think the Government will accept. The Estimates this year are £34,000,000; ten years ago they were about half that amount. Without taking the trouble of hunting through the different items, one would wish to know wherein the difference has arisen, and I would add to my Motion a request for a Return showing the items of expenditure in the Army Estimates, 1903–4, amounting to £34,245,000, in excess of those of 1893–94, amounting to £17,631,300.

§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (The Earl of HARDWICKE)

My right hon. friend the Secretary of State has no objection to giving the noble Earl the information he requires on this subject. I do not think, however, that it is necessary to lay a Return on the Table, because, as I explained the other night in answer to a question by Lord Denman, a new Annual Return is going to be issued very shortly, which, with the exception of the information asked for in Paragraphs 5 and 7, will contain complete figures with regard to all the points mentioned in the Motion.† In Question No. 5 the noble Earl asks for the number below standard height in different Arms on 1st January, 1903, and in Question No. 7 he asks for the number below the standard—that is to say, I presume, chest measurement, weight, etc.—in the different Arms on the same day. To lay that Return on the Table it would be necessary to have taken the height, chest measurement, and weight on that particular day of every soldier in the British Army. Of course, it is perfectly possible to give the noble Earl the information he desires; but I submit that it would cause a great deal of work and a great deal of trouble throughout the Army, because we should have to have every man measured and weighed on a particular day. If the noble Earl is willing to withdraw Questions Nos. 5 and 7 from his Motion, I am sure the War Office and all concerned with Army administration will † See page 283. 544 be grateful. As regards the supplementary information for which he asks, I shall be very glad to lay on the Table of the House a statement showing the items which have caused the increase in expenditure during the period mentioned.