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Conditions of Service

By the end of the 19th Century the recruiting system remained that which was introduced by Mr Cardwell in the years following 1870. It was adopted in the belief that a much larger number of recruits could be obtained if they had the option of leaving after a comparatively short period with the colours. It was assumed that after three years' service, at all events in the infantry, a man had learned all that he was likely to learn, and that it was more economical for the country after that time to pay him for some years a small retaining fee, and call him up only for war. The necessity of sending troops to India and to distant British colonies did not admit of a strict application of this principle to the whole army. While, therefore, the Guards, who did not serve during peace time in distant parts of the empire, and the Army Service Corps, which required large expansion for war and was not required in India which had its own transport and supply department, had been enlisted for three years with the colours and nine years in the Reserve, - the Line, the Artillery, and the Cavalry were mostly enlisted for seven years with the colours and five more in the Reserve. From time to time, however enlistment for the line for three years had been allowed concurrently with the longer period.

The pay of the soldier had been slightly improved since 1870. First he was given in 1876 an allowance known as "deferred pay." A daily addition to his pay of 2d. a day was credited to him in his accounts; but he was not entitled to receive it until he took his discharge. There was a considerable conflict of evidence as to whether the money was valuable to the soldier in enabling him to start in civil life, or whether it was merely wasted. The vast preponderance of the evidence of non-commissioned officers and men was in its favor. There was, however, a strong demand that the soldier should be given not only a free ration of meat and bread, as he had had for many years, but that all his food should be provided for him. The promise of a free ration was said to create the false impression that the men would have nothing to pay for their food, whereas a stoppage was made from their pay to provide groceries. In 1899, therefore, an allowance of 3d. was granted to provide what was absolutely necessary for tho whole messing. At the same time the deferred pay ceased for those who accepted the messing allowance. Men serving when the change was made were allowed to choose whether they would prefer the free messing or the deferred pay. Some chose one, some the other.

Another change was gradually introduced. The canteens, which were formerly let out to tenants, and became, in fact, regulated public-houses and grocery shops within the barracks, were placed under the management of a committee of officers, and were worked for the benefit of the men. Where they were well looked after very large profits accumulated. These were employed partly in adding to the comfort of tho men's messes, partly in providing for emergencies, such as when the men are sent out on an early movement and required breakfast before they start, or on the sudden arrival from abroad or from outstations of parties of men or of their families. In various other ways the money was used to provide for contingencies that coulc hardly be dealt with at the public expense, such as the provision of cricket and football implements.

Private benevolence added greatly to the comfort of the soldier. Soldiers' "Homes" and "Institutes," set up by private subscription, gave an opportunity for well conducted entertainments and for quiet reading and writing such as would not be possible in the barrack-room. Some of the best of these were, in fact, excellent clubs, with good hot and cold water baths, billiard-rooms, and halls for concert and other performances.

The effect of the short-service system was necessarily to throw annually upon civil life a very much larger number of men seeking employment than was tho case formerly. It was some time before adequate agencies for assisting the men in this respect were brought into existence, but on the whole by the end of the 19th Century the machinery was very complete. Partly through the colonels of brigade districts, partly through the officers of the recruiting department, partly through the organizations which had been established in most well-managed regiments, the men had much help from the army itself in obtaining situations. The "National Society for the Employment of Soldiers" and the "Soldiers' Help Society" had agencies which spread into every district of the country. Moreover, the earlier age at which soldiers left the army had this effect, that most of them have parents or other near relatives still alive, many of whom were in regular employment, or were able to assist the men in obtaining situations. The "Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association," with an agency in every garrison, was most useful to the married soldier during peace time. During tho strain of the South African war it was invaluable.

Altogether, the "conditions of service" of the well conducted soldier, though they still left much to be desired, were beyond all comparison better than those of any army except that of the United States, in which the rates of pay were incomparably higher, although in other respects the physical comfort of the men was not so carefully provided for. In civil life a man had to pay for his own hair being cut and for repairs to his clothing, but he did this at his own good pleasure. The orderly appearance of the soldier was a necessity of discipline, and undoubtedly the fact that these minor payments were not matters entirely of his own option gave color to an idea that when he had to pay for them he had not had the whole of the cash he expected.