The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-09 00:00:00

A MINISTER OF WAR..

The statement made by Lord John Russell last night
in the House of Commons removes all doubt as to the
fact that the duties of the War Department are to be
severed from those of the Colonial-office, and that a
fourth Secretary of State is to be created by the autho-
rity of the Crown to conduct that important porti on of
our military administration which has heretofore de-
volved upon the Colonial Minister. Thus far a step is
made in the right direction, and we are entitled to look
' with peculiar satisfaction on the result of this dis-
cussion. Repeated commissions of Ministers and Gene-
ral Officers have considered and reported on this subject;
committees of the House of Commons have 'sat and
blue-books have been printed in vain ; even in the pre-
sent session, when the occurrence of hostilities I rave a
pressing interest to the question, Lord Grey i n the
House of Lords, and Mr. Hume and Mr. Rich in the
House of Commons, appealed to the common sense of
the Legislature with no better effect than to elicit. from
the Treasury bench a string of arguments to prove that
such a change was inexpedient and impracticable. The
press, however, steadily pursuing an unanswerable line
of reasoning, and supported by the instinctive percep-
tions of the country, has succeeded in carrying the point,
and has even prevailed over the personal obstaelos with
which it was surrounded. _

But, though we congratulate the country and our-
selves on the success of these remonstrances, as far as it
goes, we are not by any means satisfied that the mea-
sure announced, but imperfectly described last night, by
Lord John Russell is of a nature and extent to satisfy
our just expectations. The measure we require may
best be described in the words of the report of 1337 as
" the consolidation of the civil departments of the
army," and it would only increase the present anc.maly
of our military administration if we create a Minister of
War—that is, a Minister for all military affairs except
the command of the forces—without transferring to him
full powers over every civil department of the service.
Yet we are still left in doubt as to the position of the
Secretary at War, who is the Financial Minister of the
army, and who will remain responsible to the House of
Commons for estimates which he cannot determine and
for expenses he cannot control. The financial .depart-
ment of the army becomes, of course, an important
branch of the Ministry of War, and the head of that
branch might fitly be an Under-Secretary of State,
representing the office in the House of Commons
when the head of it is a peer. But iwe can hardly
conceive a greater absurdity than to leave the
War-office to transact its present amount of business
with a 'Minister at its head who is a member of the
Cabinet, while the country would look to another Cabi-
net Minister and Secretary of State for all that concerns
the civil administration of the army. The report of
1837 distinctly proposed as the foundation of the whole
measure that the War-office should be merged in this
new department of state, or rather that the War-office
should be extended and raised in its functions and dig-
nity, so as to include under one head, responsible to
Parliament and to the country, all the various branches
which are now scattered in half-a-dozen different offices
from Pall-mall to Downing-street. It is obvious that
one office, efficiently constituted and conducted, is. a far
simpler and more powerful engine of government than
these disconnected and co-ordinate fragments of admi-
nistration. Mr. Ellice pointed out with great clearness
the true position of the question, and we sincerely hope
that the Government ►ill not commit the folly of at-
tempting a half measure, when a complete and definitive
arrangement can alone prove satisfactory to the country.
Lord John was equally reserved on the question
of persons, as affected by this new arrangement,
although considerations of this nature are apt to
have more influence on great public measures than
the public willingly believe. We apprehend,
however, that the Duke of Newcastle will retain the
Department of War, to which he has already devoted
so much labour and attention. The duke was unques-
tionably entitled to a free choice of either moiety of his
former duties, for he has held them both with credit.
At the present moment there might have been some dis-
advantage in abruptly transferring the business of the
army to a Minister less familiar with the details of the
present expedition ; and we cannot be surprised that the
duke has selected the more arduous and exciting of the
two posts. The Government has therefore to provide
itself with a Secretary of State fo the Colonies. Lord
J. Russell himself has left honourable traditions in the
Colonial Department, and we question whether he has
succeeded equally well in any other branch of the public
service, although he has tried them nearly all. Every-
body would see him resume that office with pleasure,
and it has been strongly urged upon him by his col-
leagues ; but the leadership of the House of Commons
is too arduous a task to be easily united to a labori-
ous office in the Government, and, on the score of
health and strength, it is probable that Lord John
will decline to accept duties which he knows by expe-
rience to be incessant and severe. Among those mem-
bers of the Whig party who were unavoidably left out
when the present Administration was formed, Sir George
Grey is, perhaps, the most eminent, and, although he
has no peculiar acquaintance with its duties, we enter-
tain little doubt that the seals of the Colonial Depart-
ment will be offered to him. Without adding materially
to the strength of the Government, Sir George Grey is
deservedly regarded by men of all parties with respect
and esteem ; and the House of Commons will view with
satisfaction his return to the front row of the Ministerial
benches. Other modifications of the Government may
possibly arise out of this change in the War Department,
for, although a War Minister is to be appointed, no new
place will be created, unless the concurrent and super-
fluous post of the present Secretary-at-War be retained.
But on these particulars it is premature to enter until
we have learnt more accurately and completely the
nature of the arrangements which are to be adopted.—
Times.