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254 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
many. About 40,000 of these garrisons also are English
soldiers, notwithstanding all that has been done to re-
place them in part by troops belonging to tropical
races. In India we have or ought to have in normal
times an English garrison of 70,000 men in addition
to about 125,000 native troops: again another illustra-
tion of the local resources which the Empire can draw
upon. Assuming for the present that the garrisons of
such places as Gibraltar, Malta, Hong Kong, etc., etc.,
and of the great dependency of India, are generally
sufficient on a peace footing-I should be very sorry
to believe the contrary-yet there are one or two
points in this business of garrisoning the Empire where
the normal provision with which our rulers have hitherto
been content is apparently inadequate. I would refer
especially to South Africa and Egypt. In South Africa
in 1899 we had no more than 15,000 troops, and ac-
cording to the latest War Estimates this is apparently
the normal garrison contemplated in future. I cannot
help thinking, after the experiences we have had, that
. ·this is not business. No doubt South Africa is properly
expected to provide largely for its own defence. Hence
we are to have such forces as Baden-Powell's police.
But a larget garrison of our own would appear to be
necessary to make sure that we shall not have to fight
another South African war. Instead of 15,000 we
ought to have 50,000 men in South Africa for a few
years at least, perhaps 100,000, mostly mounted men.
There is the more reason for suggesting this as
South Africa will obviously be an excellent training
ground for the Army, giving plenty of room for
manreuvres; while troops there, if they happen to be
in excess, will be placed conveniently for transport to
the East, or even home, if any emergency should arise.
As regards Egypt, what I have said already will have
indicated the nature of my apprehension. \Ve have an
English garrison in Egypt of 5,000 men only; and it
may well be asked, What is this to meet a surprise
and a raid by 20,000 men or more, which seems not