GOVEEJsTtlENT AND ADMIXISTEATION". 483 



colonies and foreign possessions of the other European states combined.* But 

 notwithstanding the vast extent of her colonial empire, Great Britain is content 

 with a standing army numerically far inferior to the forces maintained by any of 

 the other great powers. The conscription of continental Europe is unknown, and 

 the forces of the United Kingdom are without exception dependent upon voluntary 

 enlistment for their recruits. These latter usually join between the ages of 

 seventeen and twenty, and they enlist for a short term of three years' service, after 

 which they enter the army reserve. In this they remain for nine years, drawing 

 a small monthl}^ allowance, on condition of their rejoining their regiments when 

 called upon. Service in the army can scarcely be said to be popular in England, 

 and the number of deserters is very large, amounting on an average to 31 pc r 

 cent, of the recruits enlisted. 



The regular forces, numbering close upon 200,000 men, are pranaril}^ intended 

 for service in the colonies, India, and abroad. In case of need they can be reinforced 

 by the Militia, the Yeomanrj', and the Volunteers, and although military martinets 

 may occasionally sneer at these latter, they will no doubt prove useful auxiliaries 

 in case of peril, more especially in the defence of the national territory. f 



JYone of the inland towns of the British Islands are fortified, for though 

 the mediaeval walls and castles of some amongst them are objects of interest to 

 archaeologists and admirers of the picturesque, they possess little military value. 

 Suggestions have been made for constructing a series of entrenchments on the 

 heights which screen London on the south, and opposite to one of the breaches in 

 which, at Aldershot, a military camp of exercise has been established, but nothing 

 further has been done in the matter. Along the coast, however, fortifications of a 

 very formidable character are numerous, and not a bay or estuary turned towards 

 the continent has been left without its artificial defences. But it is to her 

 navy that England looks as her main defence against foreign aggression, and no 



* European colonies (according to Behm and Wagner) : — 



Area. 

 S 

 British Colonies 

 Dutch „ 



French „ 



Spanish ,, 



Portuguese ,, 

 Danish „ 



Russia in Asia 



Total 



16,636,637 315,206,300 



For a detailed statement on the British Colonies see Appendix, pp. 502, 503. 



t Efifective strength of the military forces of England, January 1st, 1880 : — 



/At Home 91,421 



Eegular Forces < In Colonies 32,744 



(in India 67,639 



■p ( 1st Class . . . . • • • 16,651 



Army Eeserve , .^^^^ ^^ 23 ^21 



Militia 113,484 



Yeomanry ......••• 10,508 



Volunteers ......... 206,265 



Total 560,73.') 



