Page 221 - clra62_0019-(GIPE)

ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR 213
and they did not therefore form a part of the army of
labour proportionate to their numbers.
There remains, however. the final question under
this head as to the tendency of the war on account of
political and other changes in relation to the industry
of the country. A large field of speculation is here
opened up. I t is quite plain to begin with that the
revelation of the country's want of preparation for any
considerable military undeortaking will lead to the very
greatest changes in our military and naval departments
at home. The country has been thoroughly alarmed
at the necessity which has been imposed upon us of
sending all available troops to a distant field like South
Africa, so that no reserve is left for any other contin-
gency which may befaIJ. Even greater alarm has been
produced by the apparent ignorance of the art of war
in high quarters throughout the British army, and the
consequent necessity for improvising everything which
is necessary to create an army as distinguished from a
mob of armed men. In particular, the lack of the best
provision in the way of weapons and ammunition and
the shortness of supplies of every kind have made a
most painful impression. It is therefore undoubted that
at the end of the war great reforms must be taken in
hand; the numbers of the regular army greatly in-
creased, and everything done which has been so long
neglected to make the framework of the army complete
and efficient, so that operations can ~e undertaken at
any moment without danger of a breakdown. At the
same time measures have obviously become necessary
to render more efficient every kind of auxiliary force
at home, so that in an emergency the country may not
be left without a reserve force for a second unfortunate
contingency when we are already deeply engaged. An
this means a very considerable addition to the outlay
for the army and navy in the next few years of a more
or less permanent kind. Estimates vary as to what the
addition should be j but I am inclined to think that a
very high estimate will not be short of the mark, for