The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-01
NEW BRITISH ARMY ASSURED
COMPLETE REORGANIZATION IS
 RECOMMENDED.

Issued-Army Council Co be Framed
 Upon Admiralty Model, the Office Of
 commander-in-chief Abolished and B
 New Post, That of Inspector General,
 Created.
 London, Jan. s1.-The report of the royal commission. known as the Lord Esher commission, which was appoint ed last November for the purpose of advising the government concerning the creation of board for the administra- tive business of the war office has been issued. and it confirms the change fore shadowed by the Associated Press on November 2S, namely that the post of commander-in-chief of the army will be abolished.
 With the approval of the king and acting upon the recommendation of the commission the government has de- cided to appoint an army council framl led upon the admiralty model; to abol- ish the office of commander-in-chief of the ramy and to create new post, that of inspector general, whose prin- cipal duty will be to inspect and re- bort on the efficiency of the military forces.
 The report is divided into three sec ltions, the first of which relates to the defence committee, the second to the army council, and the third to inspec- tion. It points out the necessity of greater pernnanence in the defence com mittee in order to ensure q continuous policy. It suggests the addition to the existing defence committee of per manent secretary holding office for five years, two naval officers selected by the admiralty, two military officers chosen | by the viceroy of India, and if possi- ble, other colonial representatives hold- l ing office for two years.
 With regard to the war office the commission suggests that the secretary of state for war be placed in the same position as the first lord of the admir- lalty, directly responsible to the crown and to parliament. The constitution of the army council aims at decentral liza tion, the individual members of the council being entrusted with different branches, such as armament supply, | finande, etc. In this connection the re- bort remarks significantly: New measures demand ryw men; we l therefore attach special Importance 4 the appointment of military rnenlberE not hitherto closely connected with ex-I isting methods and who, therefore, are not likely to be embarrassed by the traditions of a system which is tos be radically changed. 'z7'ss5s1 s l The commission considers the aboli-
 tion4 os the post of commander-in -in-chief to be imperative and it urges the sdi-2 yorce of the administrative from the executive department.
 The inspector general is to be appoint ed for five years, His sole function, aid-
 ed by a staff. is to report upon actual
 facts without expressing opinions on
 policies.
 l The Lord Esher committee reported
 with unsusual pronaptftude. Sir George 1 Sydenhanl Clark governor of Victoria,
 one of the members of the committed,
 only arrived in England December 30s
 while the report is dated January 18
 It is understood that all the necesz! sary changes will be carried out with
 the least possible delay after obtaining
 formal consent of parliament. Where it is necessary. the report is most prao-.
 tical and businesslike. It says it is 1 necessary to make complete breach
 with the past and endeavor to recon-
 stitute the war office with single eye
 to the effective training and prepara-
 tion oe the military forces for war,
 and again it says the object should
 be to secure for the British empire, with
 the least possible derangement of the
 existing machinery, the immense ad-
 vantages which a general staff co1l- ferred upon Germany" "
 l Contrasting the efficiency of the ad-E
 miralty with the ineficiency of the
 war office. the report complains that
 the latter s'has no thinking depart
 mert.''
 I The morning papers editorially ap- lplaud the report of the Lord Esher con1-
 mission as thorough and practical and
 express the hope that the government Twill execute the reforms with courage and promptitude.
 Former We'll Known Ball Player