The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-25 00:00:00

LOADON, THURSDAY; FEB. 25, 1,3(9.

~__ y.

'l he question which Lord ELcito put to Mr. CARD-
WELL on Tuesday evening with respect to the
government of the army was one of great import-
ance, and at the present time peculiarly significant,.
So much has been said, written, and thought ou the
subject that the sooner it came before the House in
some shape or other the better. The noble lord
came to the point at once, and asked the First Lord
of the Treasury, " Whether under the warrant ap-
pointing the Commander-in-Chief of the army, any
doubt arises as to the relative position of the Com-
mander-in-Chief and the Secretary of State for
War," and further on whether or not the authority
of the Secretary of State was supreme in relation to
the administration of the army, and could be brought
to bear upon minor promotions as well as upon
higher appointments of a military nature ? Lord
ELCIIO met the difficulty that is in most minds
oa this subject, by asking boldly whether
there was any approach to " dual government,"
in the management of the army, and wound up by
the pertinent question as to whether any steps were
being takenito concentrate the War Departments in
one building. To this long string of questions Mr.
CARDWELL replied in his usual clear style and com-
prehensive manner, and so far as we can judge from
the cursory view that has been taken of the subject,
it would appear that the Government have acted in
a right spirit in the aLir as yet, and are contemplat-
ing their future course of action, with a firm resolve
to improve the position of affairs. In the first place,
he begged to inform the noble lord that his Royal
Highness was not Commander-in-Chief, but that his
proper title was Field-Marshal Commanding-in-
Chief, and as such he was not appointed under war-
rant, but by a letter of service addressed to him by
command of her MAJESTY through the Secretary of
War. Mr. CARD WELL furthermore assured the House
that the authority of the Secretary for War was supreme
in all that related to the administration of the army,
and could be brought to bear upon the minor pro-
motionsconti
continuing
nwge lhai
s e
s reply,
the higher
Mr.
CARDWELLmilitary ap pog
ai nvte some
In m ents
direct intimations of the change that had taken place
in the plans of the Government in respect to the
military conduct of the army. He entirely concurred
in the opinion implied by the noble lord, that the
authority of the Secretary of War ought to be
brought to bear upon the matters connected with
the discipline of the army. At the same time he
said that there was in principle no " dual" govern-
ment. The most important part of the right hon.
gentleman's statement may be said to be contained
in the latter passage, where he says that a great im-
provement in the transaction of business might arise
from the two departments of the army administra-
tion being associated in the same building.

No doubt when the question of the amalgama-
tion of . the public offices comes on for
discussion, much of the old system that
Las for so long a time exclusively prevailed, will be
altered„and, without making invidious comments on
any one, it is right to say that a change for the better
is desirable in many of the departments of the public
service. Perhaps in no one more es.schtially than the
army, as that, for sonic cause or other, has not kept
pace with the march of public intelligence ; and so
far from the rules of the service furnishing aid for the
development of military skill or the resources of mili-
tary genius, the greatest generals and most success
ful commanders seem to have triumphed in spite of
them rather than through their agency. Be that as
it
may, it would seem as if the restless spirit of the