Note 39 — Chapter XVIII
Reading edition
I have thought it unnecessary to recapitulate in detail the financial argument used by advocates of this policy. Roughly it is as follows: The present Army Corps system provides for 78 battalions at home, 66 in India, and 12 in South Africa—a total of 156. The proposed system provides for 42 at home, 24 in South Africa, and 66 in India—a total of 132. There is thus a saving of 24 battalions, besides 6 regiments of cavalry.
In figures, 24 battalions at £64,000 = £1,536,000
And 6 cavalry regiments at £45,000 = £270,000
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A total of £1,806,000
Including supplementary expenses, the total reductions would be over £2,000,000.