In the event of war we could not safely reckon upon being able to withdraw our garrisons from abroad.[11] Consequently, in the first instance, and until the _Special Reserve_ and the _Territorial Army_ had been made efficient, all we could reasonably depend upon for serious military operations, either at home or abroad, were that part of the _Regular Army_ which was in the United Kingdom, and the _Army Reserve_. In round figures therefore our soldiers immediately available for a European war (_i.e._ that portion of the _Regular Army_ which was stationed at home and the _Army Reserve_) amounted on mobilisation to something much under 250,000 men. Our apprentice troops (the _Special Reserve_), who were really considerably less than _half_-made, numbered something {322} under 60,000 men. Our _un_made raw material (the _Territorial Army_), excellent in quality and immediately available for training, might be taken at 260,000 men. The main consideration arising out of this analysis was of course the inadequacy of the British Army to make good the numerical deficiency of the Triple Entente in the Western theatre during the _onset_ and the _grip_ of war. Supposing England to be involved in a European war, which ran its course and was brought to a conclusion with the same swiftness which had characterised every other European war within the last half century, how were our _half_-made and our _un_made troops to be rendered efficient in time to effect the result in any way whatsoever? [Sidenote: SCARCITY OF OFFICERS] There was yet another consideration of great gravity. If our full Expeditionary Force were sent abroad we should have to strain our resources to the utmost to bring it up to its full nominal strength and keep it there. The wastage of war would necessarily be very severe in the case of so small a force; especially heavy in the matter of officers. Consequently, from the moment when this force set sail, there would be a dearth of officers in the United Kingdom competent to train the _Special Reserve_, the _Territorial Army_, and the raw recruits. Every regular and reserve officer in the country would be required in order to mobilise the Expeditionary Force, and keep it up to its full strength during the first six months. As things then stood there was a certainty--in case of war--of a very serious shortage of officers of suitable experience and age to undertake the duties, which {323} were required under our recently devised military system.[12]