The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-07-02 00:00:00

Etc ,Stourbrittge bseder

SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1887.

OUR ARMY AND NAVY.

Two topics concerning our land and sea
forces are this week well to the fore. One
is the matter of the Estimates, upon which
a Select Committee, appointed by the House
of Commons, has heard important evidence
from Colonel Knox, the Accountant-General
of the .Ai my. The second subject of military
T" o ute n 7fbich attAption is just now
being directed is our warlike stores, which
called forth an interesting discussion in the
House of Lords on Tuesday. Lord Chelms-
ford referred to the recent report of the
Rceial Cemmission constituted to inquire
into the system under which patterns of
warlike stores are adopted, and the stores
obtained and passed for her Majesty's ser-
vice. The report, it wal be remembered,
cleared the War-Office authorities from
grave and specific charges which had been
persistently made against them slanders,
some of them of a most reprehensible sort;
but it disclosed a good deal of confusion
and ma Is rrangement where everything
ought to be apple. pie order, directed by the
highest intelligence. Very much of an un-
lovely character had to be admitted by the
body-of specially qualified public men who
had entrusted to them the examination of
this warlike stores business; and certainly,
as Lord Chelmsford and others urged on
Tuesday, no time should be lost in practically
adopting their recommendation that a
"Commission of high authority" be ap.
ry•inted to consider and determine the im.
portant questions raised in the report, as
well as those which the Royal Commip..
sioners, while alive to their imminence, felt
it beyend their province to discuss. It is
understood —indeed Lord Harris's statement
in the House is an assurance to that effect--

that Government is acting to the end of
sweeping away the :;abuses and Inefficiencies
which the late enquiry brought to light;
but the public do not feel confidence that
the who!e thing is being done in a thorough-
going and determiut....l I.aere is au
pression abroad that many who have been
tried in the balance and found wanting are
to have their corns lightly trod upon, that
reforms are not to be too roughly introduced.
Now the appointment of" Commission of•
high authority,' as suggested, would have'
the effect of removing this mistrust. The
country is naturally very jealous of the
administration of its defensive forces, and
much incensed at finding that incompetency
and blundering have been far from uncom-
mon. Indeed, in its anger, public opinion
would have insisted on all who have un-
worthily filled their trust being exposed to
the common view, but for the obvious fact
that the publication of detail could not but
have wrought further harm to the Services.
If it is inexpedient, however, that we should
ebow the world the weak spots we .have
found within the domain of a very import-
ant branch of army and navy administration,
it is incumbent upon us to take stringent
steps to set the matter straight without
delay or circumlocution. There is a Depart-
mental Committee now sitting which hss
till to make its report, and until that is
received at the War Office the Secretary of
State will be unable to lay before Parliament
any proposals for contemplated changes in
the organisation of the mannfactn ring de-
partment. So *aye Lord Harris, leaving it
to be understood that, when all the evidence
is beore them, the War Office authorities
will at once set to work in am-nding all
abuses. It is under the regime of the per-
manent staff that incompetency, carelessness,
and neglect have become so shamefully pre-
valent, the public cannot trust the War
Office to cleanse itself, but feels that it must
have an independent authority to exercise
salutary vigilance over all manufacture and
purchase of warlike stores. A permanent
IZoyal Co.nmission of practical men, chosen
i-roei both Hoses of Parliament, with the
addition of exrrts not in the legislature,
would form tho most fitting body to dis.
charge this onerwis daft. The Royal Com-
m'ssion should have relegated to it a suffi-
(.iency of power to 'rmsure the due observance
of its behests and regulations, and be itself
responsible to Parliament; thus forming a
intermediary between the people and the
Services, and acting in the interests of both.
A standard of .varlike supplies would of
course be adopted by such a Commission,
and rigidly enforced • and its permanence
VC•;al,t give it an authority which it could
)t otherwise hlve. The Horse Gnards and
toe Admiralty would not, perhaps, be kindly
disposed towards the Commission at first,
but they would have to bear with what they
did not relish; and so long 868 they keep
t hero -elvett freo from reproach they would
Ii ive nettling to fear. Ultimately the Ser-
vices themseh es would derive great benefit
•e•in ii,depeop,nt oversight of the sug-
estt,tl ,ort, there con be no manner of
doubt. :-rich a body, while controlling the
receipt of stores as well as their manufacture
ia Government yards and arsenals, should
ulso Lave powers to examine into the wider
t;;1,., tons of the Estimates, with a view to
tt,e in; roduction of reforms which would
s.v.••• the national expenditure without re-
Cu: efficiency of either our army or
!t t% e can be no doubt, from Colonel
Knox's and other evidence beard before the
}Louse of C3rnmons. Select Committee, V at,
good deal of v..: 5! 'f o toLey gulag
there is a
i conection with the administratioi, o
the .and and set fore 5, °tanker as wc 1 a
ireguia:, and a practioal Coramiisiont with

lififficient anthority, would quickly be able
to see where an endment could be made
and, what is more, to insist upon such
amendment being carried out.