The sun., 1897-02-22

close comparison between the cost OF the Brit
ish army and those OF foreign countries was pos
sible; he merely protested against this argu-
ment Of conscription being considered as q com
pleto answer to the question OF cost.
Proceeding then to discuss the actual condi-
tion Of the British army, Sir Charles explained
that he would be the last person who would OK.
pose Englsnd's weakness to the world, but In
these days Of military attaches and intelligence
departments OF foreign Governments other ma
tions were thoroughly acquainted with every.
thing that could be said for against the Eng
lish military system. He believed IL was under
stood by foreign Governments that the utmost
force England could send out OF this country was
10000 men. 1t must be admitted that the Eng
lish army was the only army In the world which
had no permanent organization in brigades, d.
visions, or corps, no permanent stan for war,
and. he was afraid, no general training
for war in the absence OF manoeuvres
which alone could train an army for SER
vice in the field, He feared that that fact
must mean disaster In any serious war in
which tho army was engaged. Undoubtedly
the opinions expressed In evidence before tho
Vantage Commission BY men now responsible
for the army-Lord wolseley. Sir Evelyn Wood.
and Sir Rcdvers Buller-exceeded in pessimism
ything which could be said by any member OF
the House. The Adjutant-(icncral at the time
authorities have never been told what II is that
the British army Is expected to do In war" and
he went on to point out that whatever II was
that the army expected to do. It was unit,
at present organized. to do Il. Lord Lans-
downe admitted most frankly that the British
army unfit for war.
II win readily be imagined that these state
ments made q sensation in the House OF Com
mons. Sir Charles Dixie interrupted by
requests to name time and place when these
startling admissions had been made. He
promptly furnished the information and made it
clear that nobody had read the long and usually
dreary blue books which contain the evidence
| given before the Vantage Commission which
| Investigated the whole subject OF British mill
tary administration a few months ago. Such
amazing facts this were stated by
| Sir Evelyn Wood and indorscd by Lord
! woseley. the COMMANDMENT Chief. name
! ly. that I'VE have not 30 per cent.
| Of the rank and fle who are equal TO carrying
| the service marching order" Any one who had
watched the marching at Aldershot during
| cent years, Sir Charles went on. must have no.
| ticed a progressive decline instead OF an i'm
! proycment. and one seldom saw British bat.
; talon in full marching order. Foreign armies
carried their full service marching order on all
| occasions. Even the Swiss. who had a very
short period OF training, marched with sixty
pounds weight their backs. and they could
march twenty miles day.
/ II was admitted that the battalions at home
suffered severely through having TO feed the
l battalions in India The work thrown upon
I officers and noncommissioned officers who had
to train the masses OF recruits to be drafted to
| India was work calculated to break the hearts
/ OF the best men. Nothing could be more painful
than the description given OF existing bottalions
in this country by men who knew the facts OF
/ the case There were too many boys in them.
! and they were there for too short q time Lord
Lansdownc had said that the evil was the total
! inability OF that portion OF the army which was
at home 10 support the portion abroad. and that
/ the present system was worked under conditions
which absolutely precluded the possibility of
success
/ Sir Charles BY no means completed the expose
which he might have made OF this weakness OF
! the British army. He made mention what
ever. for instance, of the most scandalous fact OF
] all namely. that more than one-haf the army In
/ India i perpetually unit for active service by
! reason OF the ravASes OF Z contagious disease
which has made frightful progress since the Con-
| tasous Diseases act was repealed in response to
the demands OF that class OF the community
| who oppose the licensing OF vice under any and
all circumstances. Sir Charles finally condemned
unsparingly the makeshift proposals. with which
the Government undertakes TO partially remedy
the fundamental defects OF the British military
system. He ridiculed and denounced them with
out stint, and called upon the Government to
bring forward drastic and effective measures for
meeting the emergency.
Some interesting information comes from
Russia about the plans for the construction OF
the great political military railway from
Siberia through Msnchur!a to the sea. This
year IL TO be devoted entirely the work OF sur.
veyins. although the articles OF association a I
August next the latest time for beginning
construction. Work upon the line will be begun,
II possible, at both ends at once. II Is hoped
that the Sungari River will afford sufficient
draught of water for the transportation OF materi
ais TO several points along the proposed route
The Eastern Chinese Railway Company Is al
ready contracting for IL. 900 tons OF rails annu
ally during the next six years. This would seem
to indicate that Russia will not complete her
highway across Asia to Port Arthur until 1903
Doubtless, however. the main Siberian line along
the originally designed route through Russian
territory will be finished much earlier.
The terms OF the treaty between the Chinese
and Russian Governments under which thi.
Manchurian railway Is to be constructed OF
rather the terms OF tho concessions made by
China TO the private corporation which nom
inally Ia to build the railway, are stlll kept Sc
crct for the most part. IL Is known, however
that the concessions made with respect to re
duced duties on imports brought into China over
this line has been very cleverly drawn, AS tc
avoid conflict under the most favored nation
clausc in all treaties between China and Other
! countries. The concession is In effect simply q
sharp scaling OF duties upon all goods imported
into China overland. Any other country which
chooses to undertake to build abroad into
China claim the same privilege, but
sea borne imports will continue to pay
the regular tariff. Russia herself makes
similar distinction between land and sea i'm
ports. For example, tea imported into Russia
overland through Kiakhta Is charged with 2:
per cent. less duty than tea entering Russia b,
sea. There is even differential tarir for th'
importation OF sea-borne coal, which is much
higher at 81. Petersburg and the Baltic port,
than at those OF the Black Sea- 1t Is not Gov
ernment that IL favored by a reduction OF dutiea
on goods introduced by means Of the Manchu
II.