Mr. Stanhope, the Secretary for War, announced on Thursday that
his Department had prepared its scheme for the reorganisa-
tion of the War Office. It is to be assimilated in principle to the Admiralty. There will be eight heads of departments,— (1), the Adjutant-General, responsible for discipline ; (2), the Quartermaster-General, responsible for supplies and transport; (3), the Military Secretary, responsible for appointments,—i.e., for the Commander-in-Chief ; (4), the Inspector-General of Fortifications; (5), the Director-General of Artillery ; (6), the Financial Secretary ; (7), the Director-General of Contracts ; and (8), the Head of the Clothing Department. These great officers, though each responsible for his separate work, will sit as a Military Cabinet, or Connell, under the presidency of the Secretary of State. The accounts for stores for the Army will be absolutely separated from those for stores used by the Navy. That scheme requires study. It looks, at the first blush, like a good working arrangement ; but a similar one does not com- pletely succeed at the Admiralty, and we do not see the final and despotic authority anywhere which a good Army requires. The Secretary of State has it, in theory ; but suppose he and the Commander-in-Chief do not agree ? Will the latter obey, at once, and without talking ? In Germany, the personal authority of the Emperor secures finality ; but our Kings are not personal rulers.
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