trust to them in a war against a Western invader. They are useful auxiliaries, and relieve the European soldier of much of the fatigue inseparable from the task of garrison ing so large an empire and protecting its frontiers. But the mutiny proved the danger of relying on them, and taught the lesson, never, it is to be hoped, to be forgotten, that our Indian empire must be held, not by native armies,
but by British armies.Many important changes and improvements have taken place since the great reorganisation of the Indian armies was commenced in 1858. The education of the whole army has been improved ; musketry, gymnastic, and garrison instruction has been introduced; and strict tests are now required of candidates for the staff, and for promotion in all grades. Annual camps of exercise have been instituted, where large bodies of troops are massed, and opportunities for higher tactical training afforded. The commissariat department has been enlarged, the military account depart ment remodelled, the materiel of war and its manufacture vastly improved. The new system of reliefs of British troops has greatly shortened the tour of Indian service, splendid barracks have been built, hill sanitariums extended, so that about 10,000 British troops are now located in the hills during the hot weather; by these means, and a liberal expenditure on sanitary requirements, the death- rate among European troops has been reduced to one-half. Other great questions still remain to be dealt with. The local peculiarities of the presidencies seem likely to give way before the increasing intercommunication throughout India. The staff corps was an expedient, and answered its purpose for the time as such, but experience has shown defects in its constitution. The officering of the native regiments will always remain a subject for careful and anxious consideration. The British rule in India may never again be put to such a severe test as that of 1857, but a wise government will not the less prepare for a day of danger which may yet come for our Indian empire.
Canadian Militia.
To complete the account of the military forces of the British empire some notice of the Canadian militia is necessary. Until recently Canada was one of the great military out-stations of the English army, and was garri soned by a considerable force of British troops distributed throughout the Dominion. Recently these troops were gradually withdrawn, and the colony left to its own resources ; and since 1871 the regular forces maintained in the Dominion have been reduced to the 2000 men forming the garrison of Halifax, which alone is still occupied as an imperial station. The defence of Canada is provided for by a large volunteer and militia force. By an Act passed in March 1868, all male inhabitants between the ages of 18 and GO are liable to serve in the militia, exemptions being granted to judges, ministers of religion, professors, and a few others. The men thus liable are divided into four classes, denoting the order in which they would be called out for service the first including all single men between the ages of 18 and 30; the second, single men between 30 and 45 ; the third, married men, or widowers with children, between 18 and 45 ; the fourth, all between 45 and 60. The militia is divided into an active and a reserve force. The active force includes the volunteers, and the regular and the marine militia. Its strength is fixed at 45,000. divided among the various districts in propor tion to their population. The contingent must be furnished either by volunteers, or, if sufficient volunteers do not pre sent themselves, by means of the ballot.
Service in volunteer corps lasts for three years, and in the regular militia for two years ; the periods of training last from eight to sixteen days annually. Money is granted for this purpose by Government ; and every year camps of instruction are formed in each of the eleven military districts into which Canada is divided, at which the militia of the district are assembled and trained. Two schools of military instruction for infantry officers are established in each of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and one in each of the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. There are also two schools of gunnery, which have per manent batteries of artillery, at Kingston and Quebec. The infantry are armed with long Snider rifles, the cavalry with Spencer carbines and swords. The field artillery includes nine batteries, all well horsed. The " reserve militia" number 656,066 men, but have not hitherto been organised or drilled. The command of the whole force is vested in Her Majesty, who may call it to arms, wholly or in part, whenever necessary.
German Army.
By the "constitution of the German empire," bearing date the 16th April 1871^ the land forces of all the states of Germany form a united army under the command of the emperor. The German army thus includes the contingents of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Wiirtemberg, Baden, and a number of minor states, all raised and organised (with insignificant variations) on the Prussian model. The peace strength of the army is fixed at 401,659 men,[1] or about 1 per cent, of the population ; and the budget is established on the basis of 257 thalers, or 38, 11s. per soldier pre sent with the colours. The army is organised in 1 8 army corps, of which 14 are furnished by Prussia and the states whose contingents are amalgamated with hers, 2 by Bavaria, 1 by Saxbny, and 1 by Wiirtemberg. As the Prussian army thus constitutes three-fourths of the military forces of the empire, and is the model on which not only the other contingents, but to a certain extent the armies of most European powers, have been formed, a detailed account of its organisation will serve as an introduction to the necessarily brief notices of the other armies of Europe.
who really created the army which Frederick II. led to victory, and which numbered 70,000 men, admirably trained and equipped, when the latter ascended the throne. The infantry had been especially perfected by Prince Maurice; and under Frederick s care the cavalry soon rivalled, if it did not excel it. The gallant struggle against overwhelming odds, and the series of brilliant victories which marked the Seven Years War, raised the reputation of the army to the highest pitch ; and the superb force of 200,000 men which he bequeathed to his successor was justly accounted the best in Europe. It was hardly, however, a national army, and its excellence was owing rather to Frederick s genius, and to his system of discipline and instruction, than to the goodness of the material. The cavalry, it is true, and the hussars especially, were recruited almost entirely from the Prussian states, and from the sons of the small farmers or better class peasants ; but the infantry was raised from all sources, and was largely com posed of foreigners, deserters, and vagabonds of all kinds. With Frederick s death, the genius which had animated it, and which alone gave value to such heterogeneous materials, was gone. It still retained its imposing appearance and precision of movement, and its overweening self-confidence.
But at the first encounter with the armies of Napoleon it- ↑ One-year volunteers are not included in this number.
