The times., 1901-05-19
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The British Ministry Rejoicing Over
the Army Hill.

.
the Army BiII.
LONDON. May 1S-Ministers are jubi-
liant over the enormous majority of 1{2 by
which the House of Commons yesterday
adopted the principle OF their new army
scheme. Mr.. Winston Churchill proved
a weak-hearted revolutionist and walked
away from the division. though not be-
fore he had made a speech against eX-
travagant militarism, which leads some
Liberal journalists to hail him as a Lib
eral Premier of the future
The threatened revolt of the army mem
bers against the scheme was smoothed
away by the Government $ promise TO re-
gard their proposals as a skeleton, IN
clothing which every regard will be PAID
to the various suggestions advanced 80
Mr.. Brodrick, young man as he is, ana
Cabinet Minister of only few months
standing. has been afforded his chance to
make himself famous in English history.
He clearly realizes that his beautiful
scheme, with It's six glittering army
corps, depends absolutely upon his ability
to secure and keep up the supply of 6SV'Vo1
regulars. militia. yeomanry, and volun-
teers, upon which it is based. In the first
four months of the present year 5000
men enlisted, being at the rate ca 5000
include 5000 new yeomen who were at
traCted for special service in South Africa
at the special pay of five shillings per
day. If, after the war is over, recruits
continue to come forward in anything
like these numbers-if, that is to say, the
present pay of one shilling per day Is
inducement enough without the prospects
of immediate fghting-Mr Brodrick's
scheme may succeed. If they do not,
Parliament viii have to face an increase
of soldiers pay, so as to compete in the
general labor market.
Gen. Hector Macdonald, just back, in
triumph, from South Africa has, this
week, publicly advocated conscription in
some form or other, but it Is significant
that Mr.. Brodrick thought it prudent dur
ing this weeks debates to hide way his
early threat that compulsory service was
inevitable if his scheme were not accept
ed What is far more likely to happen
if the Government army scheme fails, is
an overwhelming public demand for Lord
Kitchener at the head of the War Office,
with free hand TO reconstitute the army
machine from top to bottom purely
business lines. regardless of all social and
political considerations. and without in
creased expenditure. Even Mr. Labou-
chere would support that type of army
reform.
For the first time in many months a
more hopeful view is taken today of the
war situation. The special correspondent
OF the Times at Pretoria. who is in a
SPECIAL position to know the facts. and
has hitherto been pessimistic, declares in
a telegram published today that the end
really seems near. The first pinch of win
ter, and the fact that a campaign in the
bushveld increases their own difficulties
far more than those of the British, seem
dehnitely to have proved to the Transvaal
burgherS the hopelesSness of the strug
gle For nearly two months their sole
Initiative has been confined to attempts
at railway destruction by a few des-
peradoes. Voluntary eapitulations con-
tinue in a stream daily. and now are
spreading 10 the northern districts of the
Orange River Colony. Indeed the cor
respondent asserts that II the results of
Lord K1tchenerS s coming activity reSem-
Bile those of the last month only a few
harrled fanatics will remain in the field
by the time Sir Alfred Milner returns to
South Africa.
But will Sir Alfred MiIner return? That
is the question agitating London political
circles just now. The King makes it
known today that he will specially honor
Sir Alfred by meeting him at Waterloo
Station on his arrival in London. Mr..
Chamberlain already has issued invita-
tions to a state luncheon in his honor. but
all this means nothing more than that Sir
Alfred Miner is TO be highly honOred
Whether he returns to South Africa or not
rests primarily with himself 20 say. He
viii go back If he wishes with the full
concurrence of the Government here. If
on the other hand. considerations of his
health, which undoubtedly has suffered
from the strain of the past two years
and the oppression of the difficulties be-
fore the British administrator of the new
colonies lead him to ask for release, the
Ministry probably will acquiesce, sending
a new man to tackle the settlement.
The agricultural returns issued today
give d gloomy picture of the continued de-
cline Of British farming. The area under
wheat in Great Britain Is less by one
Quarter than it was thirty years ago
The area under green crops has also fallen
almost as heavily, while only the acreage
laid down in grass and clover shows an
increase. In horses, cattle, sheep, and
pigs there is a slight advance. but not
such as 10 keep pace with the Increase in !
population, or compensate for the dtmin-
ished wheat production. The England
which used to feed herself becomes each |
year more and more dependent upon the
colonist and the foreigner and particu- I
larry upon the American continent.
This week should be a memora BILE one /
in the history of English railways. De
spite the strongest opposition Of the rail- !
way companies, NJ Behr has maEaged to |
persuade a Parliamentary committee to
adopt the preamble of his bill comforting |
powers to construct a high-speed electric |
monorail between Liverpool and Man |
chester. On his Brussels line NJ. Behr as |
serts that he has maintained a speed of |
ninety miles without undue vibration and |
without a particularly high voltage of |
electricity. If he succeeds England's |
steam locomotive and double-raii lines |
mo tnl.N had Iafv Far