ia 120,000 men, for Malta 10,000, for Hong Kong 3,500, for Africa
10,000, 3,000 for the Antilles, for Gibraltar 6,000, and 10,000 more
for Egypt, apart from the smaller garrisons, which must all remain
where they are at present; I shall then hope, after having called up all
volunteers and reserves, to be in a position to place an army of 400,000
men in the field for the defence of the mother country."

The First Lord of the Treasury shook his head. "Do not let us be lulled
by such figures into false optimism! Great masses without military
discipline, unused to firearms, with newly appointed officers (and they
chosen, moreover, by the men whom they are to command), troops
without any practical intelligence, without any understanding of the
requirements of modern warfare, such are the men, as I understand,
we are to place in the field against such splendid troops, as are the
French and German. Whence should we get our artillery? In 1871 we
saw the result, when masses of men with muskets were pitted against
regularly disciplined troops. Bourbaki was in command of an army that
had been disciplined for months gone by, and yet his host, although they
took the field with cavalry and artillery, suffered enormous losses on
meeting an army numerically inferior, yet well-organised, and commanded
by scientific and experienced officers. They were pushed across the
frontier into Switzerland, like a great flock of sheep pursued by a bevy
of wolves."

"But they were French, and we are Englishmen!"

"An Englishman can be laid low by a bullet as well as a Frenchman.
The days of the Black Prince are past and gone, no Henry V. is to-day
victorious at Agincourt, we have to fight with firearms and magazine
rifles."

"The Boers, my lord, showed us what a brave militia is capable of doing
against regular troops."

"Yes, in the mountains. The Tyrolese held out in the same way against
the great Napoleon for a while. But England is a flat country, and in
the plain tactical strategy soon proves its superiority. No, England's
salvation rests entirely on her fleet."

A despatch from the Viceroy of India was handed to the Prime
Minister: "The Viceroy informs His Majesty's Government that the
Commander-in-Chief in Delhi has massed an army of 30,000 men, and will
defend the city. The sepoys attached to his army are loyal, because they
are confined within the fortifications and cannot flee. The Viceroy will
take care that the Mohammedan sepoys sh