The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-12
BELLIGERENT JOHN BULL.
Lord Salisbury Denies that He is in a
Defenseless State.

| LONDON, May lin the House of Lords
to-day Viscount Harding asked what truth
there was in the reports that England was
in a defenseless condition, that she had the
worst guns in the world, and that her ports
and ships were unarmed.
The Duke of Cambridge, commander of
| the forces, denied that the country was in
imminent danger. He said that the sensa-
| tional articles in newspapers, emanating
| from "the highest military authority" did
not proceed from him. The government
was fully alive to the importance of re-
| forming and strengthening the defensive
! forces, and were considering means by
which this should be done. He did not
doubt that the result would satisfy the
country.
SALISBURY PROTESTS.
Lord Salisbury protested against the pre-
vailing impression that because the govern
ment did not make showy speeches their
vigilance slept The government must
practice the utmost reticence in such mat
| ters. Nothing would be more insane than
to explain to all the world what was Eng
lands strength and the nature of the pre-
cautions she was taking. II would be
treachery to give such matters publicity.
| [Cheers.l The fact was that there had been
a considerable increase of preparations
| within recent years.
NO GROUND FOR REPRoACHEs.
There was no ground for reproaching the
| government with neglecting the country's
defenses. Since 1884 both the army and
navy had been much strengthened. The
| army had been increased from lSl, ,2l7 men
of all arms to 2l2, ,410 men, while the expen-
ditureS for the navy had risenffom "a, 449, =
| 600 to e6,61l, 900. He complained that high
military authorities were making state
ments against the government at public
banquets, where they could not be an
swered.
GEN woLSELEY ANSWERED.
Gen. Lord Wolsely, he said, had recently
declared that the reason that the army and
navy were not as strong as they ought to be
was to be found in the system Of govern
ment by party, which was the curse of
England, depriving English statesmen of
manly honesty. Gen. Wolseley ought to
have made that statement in Parliament,
where he could have been answered Tho
panicky tone pervading the language used
by military authorities outside of the
House was not shared by the government,
| who were fully conscious that any disre-
gard of the national defenses in the present
state of the world would be very grave
derilection of its duty. [Cheers.l
CAUSED A SENSATION
Lord SaliSbury's speech has caused q sem
sation in political and military circles. The
| attack upon Gen. Lord W olseley was wholly
unexpected. The general opinion is that
Gen. Wolseley will resign after replying to
the Premier.
The Liberals are inclined to support Gen.
Wolseley's position, which is approved by
all the military members of the House of
Commons.
A NOTABLE GROUP.
LONDON, May 10, A. M-The Daily
Telegraph explains that 1.-The highest mill
tary authority" referred to in it's article
yesterday on England's defenseess condi-
tion, included a group of men of greatest
celebrity and experience, some of whom
will probably speak at the approaching city
meeting.
The Times thinks that Lord Salisbury's
rebuke to Gen. Lord Wolseey was not un-
derestimated, and applies to more than one
military man.
LONG CONFERENCE.
The Duke of Cambridge, Gen. Lord
Wolseloy, Gen. Sir Redvers Butler and
other officers, held long private discus
sion in the war office yesterday. It is re-
ported that they decided to propose to
Parli ime 1t TO Immediately place the first
and sec1n army corps on good footing
and issue magazine rifles to all the regular
troops; that a special committee be formed
to attend to the stores necessary
for field service, and that
the volunteer artillery corps be sent
to Portsmouth to be drilled in the use of
guns of large calibre. AT tne sitting of the
Select Committee of the House of Com
mons last night, Lord Randolph Churchill
presiding, Gen. Nicholson, who prepares
the estimates for the War Office admitted
that 100000 was required for barracks ac-
commodation. Knowing, however, that this
sum would not be granted, he had sub
nlitted an estimate of g200,0O0, which
Lord Stanhope, War Secretary, had
cut to el3,95O. Lord Randolph Churchill
commented sharply upon Gen. Nicholson's
action in taking upon himself the response
bility of submitting false estimates.